Two years with extreme and little snowfall: effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high-Arctic tundra ecosystem
Snow cover is one of the key factors controlling Arctic ecosystem functioning and productivity. In this study we assess the impact of strong variability in snow accumulation during 2 subsequent years (2013–2014) on the land–atmosphere interactions and surface energy exchange in t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2016-07-01
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| Series: | The Cryosphere |
| Online Access: | http://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/1395/2016/tc-10-1395-2016.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818582184734228480 |
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| author | C. Stiegler M. Lund T. R. Christensen M. Mastepanov A. Lindroth |
| author_facet | C. Stiegler M. Lund T. R. Christensen M. Mastepanov A. Lindroth |
| author_sort | C. Stiegler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Snow cover is one of the key factors controlling Arctic
ecosystem functioning and productivity. In this study we assess the impact
of strong variability in snow accumulation during 2 subsequent years
(2013–2014) on the land–atmosphere interactions and surface energy exchange in two high-Arctic tundra ecosystems (wet fen and dry heath) in Zackenberg,
Northeast Greenland. We observed that record-low snow cover during the
winter 2012/2013 resulted in a strong response of the heath ecosystem towards
low evaporative capacity and substantial surface heat loss by sensible heat
fluxes (<i>H</i>) during the subsequent snowmelt period and growing season.
Above-average snow accumulation during the winter 2013/2014 promoted
summertime ground heat fluxes (<i>G</i>) and latent heat fluxes (LE) at the cost of <i>H</i>.
At the fen ecosystem a more muted response of LE, <i>H</i> and <i>G</i> was observed in response to the variability in snow accumulation. Overall, the differences
in flux partitioning and in the length of the snowmelt periods and growing
seasons during the 2 years had a strong impact on the total accumulation
of the surface energy balance components. We suggest that in a changing
climate with higher temperature and more precipitation the surface energy
balance of this high-Arctic tundra ecosystem may experience a further
increase in the variability of energy accumulation, partitioning and redistribution. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:45:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92daf98ef3b544f08e04b214b160ba60 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1994-0416 1994-0424 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:45:21Z |
| publishDate | 2016-07-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Cryosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-92daf98ef3b544f08e04b214b160ba602022-12-21T22:38:58ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242016-07-011041395141310.5194/tc-10-1395-2016Two years with extreme and little snowfall: effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high-Arctic tundra ecosystemC. Stiegler0M. Lund1T. R. Christensen2M. Mastepanov3A. Lindroth4Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Lund, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Lund, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Lund, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Lund, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Lund, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenSnow cover is one of the key factors controlling Arctic ecosystem functioning and productivity. In this study we assess the impact of strong variability in snow accumulation during 2 subsequent years (2013–2014) on the land–atmosphere interactions and surface energy exchange in two high-Arctic tundra ecosystems (wet fen and dry heath) in Zackenberg, Northeast Greenland. We observed that record-low snow cover during the winter 2012/2013 resulted in a strong response of the heath ecosystem towards low evaporative capacity and substantial surface heat loss by sensible heat fluxes (<i>H</i>) during the subsequent snowmelt period and growing season. Above-average snow accumulation during the winter 2013/2014 promoted summertime ground heat fluxes (<i>G</i>) and latent heat fluxes (LE) at the cost of <i>H</i>. At the fen ecosystem a more muted response of LE, <i>H</i> and <i>G</i> was observed in response to the variability in snow accumulation. Overall, the differences in flux partitioning and in the length of the snowmelt periods and growing seasons during the 2 years had a strong impact on the total accumulation of the surface energy balance components. We suggest that in a changing climate with higher temperature and more precipitation the surface energy balance of this high-Arctic tundra ecosystem may experience a further increase in the variability of energy accumulation, partitioning and redistribution.http://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/1395/2016/tc-10-1395-2016.pdf |
| spellingShingle | C. Stiegler M. Lund T. R. Christensen M. Mastepanov A. Lindroth Two years with extreme and little snowfall: effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high-Arctic tundra ecosystem The Cryosphere |
| title | Two years with extreme and little snowfall: effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high-Arctic tundra ecosystem |
| title_full | Two years with extreme and little snowfall: effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high-Arctic tundra ecosystem |
| title_fullStr | Two years with extreme and little snowfall: effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high-Arctic tundra ecosystem |
| title_full_unstemmed | Two years with extreme and little snowfall: effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high-Arctic tundra ecosystem |
| title_short | Two years with extreme and little snowfall: effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high-Arctic tundra ecosystem |
| title_sort | two years with extreme and little snowfall effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high arctic tundra ecosystem |
| url | http://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/1395/2016/tc-10-1395-2016.pdf |
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