6个不结球白菜品种光合作用特性的研究

对6个不结球白菜品种的光合作用特性进行了研究。结果表明,在800μmol·m-2·s-1的光强下,不结球白菜的净光合速率以‘正大抗热青3号’最高,达16.37μmol CO2·m-2·s-1,其光合作用表观量子效率、羧化效率和水分利用效率也最高,分别为0.0442、0.0854mol·m-2·s-1和6.20μmol CO2·mmol-1H2O;暗呼吸速率以‘绿星’最低,为2.24μmol CO2·m-2·s-1;Pn-PFD响应曲线显示,在光强300μmol·m-2·s-1以下,各品种的净光合速率差异较小,在光强为300~1000μmol·m-2·s-1区段时,净光合速率随着光照强度增加而迅速增加。‘正大抗热青3号’光饱和点最高,达1910.3μmol·m-2·s-1,其光饱和点的净光合速率也最高,达20.2μmol CO2·m-2·s-1;不结球白菜不同品种净光合速率日变化进程相似,不论数值高低均呈双峰曲线型,有明显的“午休”现象。     

半干旱区典型沙生植物油蒿(Artemisia ordosica)的光合特性

为了研究西北半干旱生态系统中典型沙生植物油蒿(Artemisia ordosica)的光合特征,于2012年5—10月,使用Li-6400(Li-Cor Inc.,USA)便携式光合测定系统,测定了油蒿气体交换特征的日变化、季节变化以及净光合速率(Pn)对光合有效辐射和胞间CO2浓度的响应。结果表明:Pn、蒸腾速率(E)和水分利用效率(WUE)的日变化在12:00前后均表现出非对称性,上午测量值普遍高于下午;Pn日均值6月最高(8.97±1.73μmol CO2·m-2·s-1),10月最低(2.58±1.32μmol CO2·m-2·s-1);油蒿表观量子效率(α)在0.022~0.048 mol·mol-1变化,羧化效率(φ)在0.125~0.268 mol·m-2·s-1变化;在9月13日饱和光强下的Pn(Pnmax)达到生长季最大值,为24.89μmol CO2·m-2·s-1;在7月31日饱和胞间CO2浓度下的Pn(Anmax),达到生长季最大值,为77.23μmol CO2·m-2·s-1;Pnmax主要受到相对湿度影响,Anmax主要受饱和水汽压亏缺和30 cm深度土壤体积含水率影响;水分相关环境因子是油蒿光合作用的主要限制因子,其光合特征反映出对半干旱气候的适应性。本研究结果可为生态系统过程建模和区域尺度研究提供重要的生理生态参数。     

岩黄连光合与蒸腾特性及其对光照强度和CO2浓度的响应

采用LI-6400便携式光合测定系统(Li-CorInc.,USA)对岩黄连叶片的气体交换进行了测定。结果表明(1)岩黄连叶片的光饱和点(LSP)为329.18μmol.m-2.s-1左右,光补偿点(LCP)为12.76μmol.m-2.s-1,最大净光合速率为2.96μmol.m-2.s-1,暗呼吸速率(Rd)为0.17μmol.m-2.s-1。光饱和点和光补偿点都比效低,表明岩黄连对光照的要求不高,属于阴生植物。(2)4月份,岩黄连Pn随CO2浓度升高而逐渐增大。当CO2浓度由50μmol.mol-1增加到600μmol.mol-1,Pn几乎呈直线上升,600~1000μmol.mol-1范围内逐渐缓和,到1000μmol.mol-1以后Pn变化平稳。由曲线估算CO2饱和点(CSP)大约在1000μmol.mol-1左右。CO2的补偿点为68.80μmol.mol-1。羧化效率为0.0308μmol.m-2.s-1。(3)岩黄连叶片水分利用率(WUE)随有效光辐射强度(PAR)的增强呈抛物线状变化,PAR在200μmol.m-2.s-1内呈直线上升,到200μmol.m-2.s-1时WUE达最大值,大于200μmol.m-2.s-1后WUE呈逐渐下降趋势。     

去除和添加凋落物对枫香（Liquidambar formosana）和樟树（Cinnamomum camphora）林土壤呼吸的影响

2007年1月至12月,在长沙天际岭国家森林公园,使用LI-COR-6400-09连接到LI-6400便携式CO2/H2O分析系统,测定亚热带枫香(Liquidambar formosana)和樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)林去除和添加凋落物(931.5 g · m-2a-1和1003.4 g · m-2a-1)的土壤呼吸速率以及5 cm土壤温、湿度,研究凋落物对2种森林生态系统中土壤呼吸速率的影响.结果表明:枫香和樟树林去除和添加凋落物的土壤呼吸速率季节变化显著,在季节动态上的趋势与5 cm土壤温度相似,均呈单峰曲线格局,全年去除凋落物土壤呼吸速率平均值分别为1.132 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1和1.933 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1,分别比对照处理1.397 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1和2.581 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1低18.62%和26.49%;添加凋落物土壤呼吸速率平均值分别为2.363 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1和3.267 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1,分别比对照处理高71.31%和39.18%.两种群落去除和添加凋落物土壤呼吸的季节变化均与5 cm土壤温度呈显著指数相关(P﹤0.001),与5 cm土壤湿度相关性不显著(P>0.05);土壤温度和湿度可以共同解释去除和添加凋落物后土壤呼吸变化的95.2%、93.7%和90.0%、92.8%.枫香和樟树群落去除和添加凋落物土壤呼吸温度敏感性Q10值分别为3.01、3.29和3.02、4.37,均比对照处理Q10值2.98和2.94高.这证明凋落物是影响森林CO2通量的一个重要因子.     

东北温带次生林与落叶松人工林的土壤呼吸

2006年5—10月,使用Li-6400-09土壤呼吸系统测定了黑龙江省帽儿山地区温带次生林转化为落叶松人工林后土壤呼吸速率(Rs)的变化.结果表明:次生林与落叶松人工林土壤呼吸速率的日变化均呈单峰型曲线,与地温的日变化趋势相似.测定期间内,次生林和落叶松人工林Rs的变化范围分别为0.43~7.26μmol CO2.m-2.s-1和0.63~4.70μmol CO2.m-2.s-1,最大值出现在7—8月,最小值出现在10月.5—8月,次生林的Rs明显高于落叶松人工林.次生林和落叶松人工林枯落物层呼吸速率的季节变化范围分别为-0.65~1.26μmol CO2.m-2.s-1和-0.43~0.47μmol CO2.m-2.s-1.两林分中的Rs与土壤温度均呈明显的指数相关,且与5 cm深地温相关最紧密.用5 cm地温估算的次生林和落叶松人工林Q10分别为3.61和3.07.次生林的Rs与10~20 cm土壤含水率相关显著,而落叶松人工林的Rs与土壤含水率无明显相关.     

模拟氮沉降对长江中下游滩地杨树林土壤呼吸各组分的影响

土壤呼吸是土壤碳库向大气输出碳的主要途径,也是大气CO2重要的源。活性氮的生成和沉降速率的增加影响了生态系统的碳循环,研究氮沉降量增加对土壤呼吸各组分的影响,对于了解土壤呼吸在气候变化中的作用有重要意义。以长江中下游滩地杨树人工林为对象,通过定位模拟氮沉降实验,研究了滩地杨树人工林生态系统土壤呼吸的变化特征和土壤呼吸各组分对几种氮沉降量浓度的响应。结果表明:土壤呼吸及其各组分均有明显的季节变化特征,由于试验地发生淹水现象而呈现双峰曲线特征;模拟氮沉降显著抑制了杨树人工林土壤呼吸作用。对照组、低氮水平处理组、中氮水平处理组和高氮水平处理组的土壤总呼吸速率的年均值分别为3.21、2.82、2.82、2.72μmol m-2s-1,相当于每年排放出的CO2的量分别为42.06、37.06、36.20、35.69 t/hm2;各组土壤微生物呼吸的年均值分别为2.12、2.05、1.96、1.99μmol m-2s-1,模拟氮沉降抑制了土壤微生物呼吸作用,但其影响不显著;各组根呼吸的年平均值分别为1.09、0.77、0.86、0.75μmol m-2s-1,模拟氮沉降对根系呼吸有显著的抑制作用。     

不同种源花楸树幼苗越夏能力的比较

以来自6个种源花楸树1年生幼苗为材料,通过观测苗木田间生长表现、叶片相对电导率、光合特性等生理指标并利用隶属函数综合评价不同种源花楸树对夏季高温环境的适应性,为早期筛选出适应低海拔地区的优良种源奠定理论基础。结果表明:不同种源对高温的适应性表现不同。山东崂山种源的苗高年增长量最大,为34.99 cm,而河北雾灵山种源的地径年增长量最大(6.90 mm);河北驼粱山种源的净光合速率和蒸腾速率最高,分别为12.1μmol CO2·m-2·s-1和6.28μmol H2O·m-2·s-1,而山西庞泉沟种源净光合速率和蒸腾速率最低,分别为8.03μmol CO2·m-2·s-1和4.39μmol H2O·m-2·s-1。山西庞泉沟种源叶片受伤害程度最大,叶伤害指数为46.53%;受伤害最小的是山东泰山种源,叶伤害指数为17.75%。综合评价表明,越夏能力最强的是山东泰山和山东崂山种源,河北种源次之,山西种源最差。     

黄河小浪底人工混交林冠层CO2储存通量变化特征

基于黄河小浪底人工混交林2008年的CO2浓度和碳通量数据,分析了不同天气条件下CO2浓度在时间和空间上的变化特征,对比了CO2浓度廓线法和涡度相关法估算的CO2储存通量,研究了CO2储存通量的日、季变化特征。结果表明:人工混交林冠层上方月平均CO2浓度具有明显的季节变化规律。月平均CO2浓度最大值出现在3月(370μmol/mol),最低值出现在8月(347μmol/mol)。涡度相关法估算的CO2储存通量比廓线法所得结果偏低9%。生长季,冠层CO2储存通量和净生态系统碳交换量(NEE)日平均值分别为-0.0004和-0.091 mg CO2m-2s-1,冠层CO2储存通量在NEE中仅占0.4%。2008年CO2储存通量和NEE分别为-46.1、-1133 g CO2m-2a-1。在年尺度上,CO2储存通量占NEE的4.1%。因此,在日和年尺度上计算黄河小浪底人工混交林NEE时,CO2储存通量可以忽略。     

青藏高原高寒草原碳排放及其迁移过程研究

采用箱式法通过对青海省五道梁地区高寒草原生态系统表层土壤含碳温室气体的研究发现 ,该地区高寒草原系统表层土壤 CO2 和 CH4 在 7～ 8月份的平均排放通量分别为 0 .46μmol· m- 2 · s- 1和 - 0 .43× 1 0 - 3μmol·m- 2 ·s- 1,此两种气体的排放通量随时间都有明显的变化特征 ,它们的日变化均为明显的单峰型 ,而且其中 CO2 排放通量的变化明显受大气温度变化的影响。地下土壤中 CO2 和 CH4 气体浓度随深度的增加呈递减趋势 ,进一步的分析表明这两种气体浓度在土壤中与相邻层次的气体浓度有很明显的相关关系 ,尤以永久冻土上层边界附近最为显著。     

太湖梅梁湾冬季水-气界面二氧化碳通量日变化观测研究

应用静态箱式法对太湖梅梁湖区冬季(2003年12月23日8:00~26日6:00)的水气界面CO2通量进行了昼夜连续观测,共测得60组数据,分析了梅梁湾湖区CO2通量的冬季日变化规律。结果表明,在光照条件较好,风速较小情况下,白天梅梁湾湖区为CO2的汇,极大值出现在14:00时,其平均CO2通量为-3.01 mg.m-2.h-1;夜间梅梁湾湖区CO2通量值为-0.897~1.006 mg.m-2.h-1,其平均通量为-0.02 mg.m-2.h-1;在阴天、风速较大时,湖区CO2通量日变化与前面有较大差异,表现为CO2的强源,最大CO2通量达到76.53 mg.m-2.h-1。     

Photodegradation leads to increased carbon dioxide losses from terrestrial organic matter

CO₂ production in terrestrial ecosystems is generally assumed to be solely biologically driven while the role of abiotic processes has been largely overlooked. In addition to microbial decomposition, photodegradation – the direct breakdown of organic matter (OM) by solar irradiance – has been found to contribute to litter mass loss in dry ecosystems. Previous small‐scale studies have shown that litter degradation by irradiance is accompanied by emissions of CO₂. However, the contribution of photodegradation to total CO₂ losses at ecosystems scales is unknown. This study determined the proportion of the total CO₂ losses caused by photodegradation in two ecosystems: a bare peatland in New Zealand and a seasonally dry grassland in California. The direct effect of solar irradiance on CO₂ production was examined by comparing daytime CO₂ fluxes measured using eddy covariance (EC) systems with simultaneous measurements made using an opaque chamber and the soil CO₂ gradient technique, and with night‐time EC measurements under the same soil temperature and moisture conditions. In addition, a transparent chamber was used to directly measure CO₂ fluxes from OM caused by solar irradiance. Photodegradation contributed 19% of the annual CO₂ flux from the peatland and almost 60% of the dry season CO₂ flux from the grassland, and up to 62% and 92% of the summer mid‐day CO₂ fluxes, respectively. Our results suggest that photodegradation may be important in a wide range of ecosystems with exposed OM. Furthermore, the practice of partitioning daytime ecosystem CO₂ exchange into its gross components by assuming that total daytime CO₂ losses can be approximated using estimates of biological respiration alone may be in error. To obtain robust estimates of global ecosystem–atmosphere carbon transfers, the contribution of photodegradation to OM decomposition must be quantified for other ecosystems and the results incorporated into coupled carbon–climate models.     

Tundra ecosystems observed to be CO2 sources due to differential amplification of the carbon cycle

Are tundra ecosystems currently a carbon source or sink? What is the future trajectory of tundra carbon fluxes in response to climate change? These questions are of global importance because of the vast quantities of organic carbon stored in permafrost soils. In this meta‐analysis, we compile 40 years of CO₂ flux observations from 54 studies spanning 32 sites across northern high latitudes. Using time‐series analysis, we investigated if seasonal or annual CO₂ fluxes have changed over time, and whether spatial differences in mean annual temperature could help explain temporal changes in CO₂ flux. Growing season net CO₂ uptake has definitely increased since the 1990s; the data also suggest (albeit less definitively) an increase in winter CO₂ emissions, especially in the last decade. In spite of the uncertainty in the winter trend, we estimate that tundra sites were annual CO₂ sources from the mid‐1980s until the 2000s, and data from the last 7 years show that tundra continue to emit CO₂ annually. CO₂ emissions exceed CO₂ uptake across the range of temperatures that occur in the tundra biome. Taken together, these data suggest that despite increases in growing season uptake, tundra ecosystems are currently CO₂ sources on an annual basis.     

Multivariate regulation of soil CO2 and N2O pulse emissions from agricultural soils

Climate and land‐use models project increasing occurrence of high temperature and water deficit in both agricultural production systems and terrestrial ecosystems. Episodic soil wetting and subsequent drying may increase the occurrence and magnitude of pulsed biogeochemical activity, affecting carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles and influencing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this study, we provide the first data to explore the responses of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) fluxes to (i) temperature, (ii) soil water content as percent water holding capacity (%WHC), (iii) substrate availability throughout, and (iv) multiple soil drying and rewetting (DW) events. Each of these factors and their interactions exerted effects on GHG emissions over a range of four (CO₂) and six (N₂O) orders of magnitude. Maximal CO₂ and N₂O fluxes were observed in environments combining intermediate %WHC, elevated temperature, and sufficient substrate availability. Amendments of C and N and their interactions significantly affected CO₂ and N₂O fluxes and altered their temperature sensitivities (Q₁₀) over successive DW cycles. C amendments significantly enhanced CO₂ flux, reduced N₂O flux, and decreased the Q₁₀ of both. N amendments had no effect on CO₂ flux and increased N₂O flux, while significantly depressing the Q₁₀ for CO₂, and having no effect on the Q₁₀ for N₂O. The dynamics across DW cycles could be attributed to changes in soil microbial communities as the different responses to wetting events in specific group of microorganisms, to the altered substrate availabilities, or to both. The complex interactions among parameters influencing trace gas fluxes should be incorporated into next generation earth system models to improve estimation of GHG emissions.     

Process-level controls on CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> fluxes from a seasonally snow-covered subalpine meadow soil,Niwot Ridge,Colorado

Fluxes of CO₂ during the snow-covered season contribute to annual carbon budgets, but our understanding of the mechanisms controlling the seasonal pattern and magnitude of carbon emissions in seasonally snow-covered areas is still developing. In a subalpine meadow on Niwot Ridge, Colorado, soil CO₂ fluxes were quantified with the gradient method through the snowpack in winter 2006 and 2007 and with chamber measurements during summer 2007. The CO₂ fluxes of 0.71 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in 2006 and 0.86 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in 2007 are among the highest reported for snow-covered ecosystems in the literature. These fluxes resulted in 156 and 189 g C m⁻² emitted over the winter, ~30% of the annual soil CO₂ efflux at this site. In general, the CO₂ flux increased during the winter as soil moisture increased. A conceptual model was developed with distinct snow cover zones to describe this as well as the three other reported temporal patterns in CO₂ flux from seasonally snow-covered soils. As snow depth and duration increase, the factor controlling the CO₂ flux shifts from freeze–thaw cycles (zone I) to soil temperature (zone II) to soil moisture (zone III) to carbon availability (zone IV). The temporal pattern in CO₂ flux in each zone changes from periodic pulses of CO₂ during thaw events (zone I), to CO₂ fluxes reaching a minimum when soil temperatures are lowest in mid-winter (zone II), to CO₂ fluxes increasing gradually as soil moisture increases (zone III), to CO₂ fluxes decreasing as available carbon is consumed. This model predicts that interannual variability in snow cover or directional shifts in climate may result in dramatically different seasonal patterns of CO₂ flux from seasonally snow-covered soils.     

Release of CO2 and CH4 from lakes and drainage ditches in temperate wetlands

Shallow fresh water bodies in peat areas are important contributors to greenhouse gas fluxes to the atmosphere. In this study we determined the magnitude of CH₄ and CO₂ fluxes from 12 water bodies in Dutch wetlands during the summer season and studied the factors that might regulate emissions of CH₄ and CO₂ from these lakes and ditches. The lakes and ditches acted as CO₂ and CH₄ sources of emissions to the atmosphere; the fluxes from the ditches were significantly larger than the fluxes from the lakes. The mean greenhouse gas flux from ditches and lakes amounted to 129.1 ± 8.2 (mean ± SE) and 61.5 ± 7.1 mg m^?2 h^?1 for CO₂ and 33.7 ± 9.3 and 3.9 ± 1.6 mg m^?2 h^?1 for CH₄, respectively. In most water bodies CH₄ was the dominant greenhouse gas in terms of warming potential. Trophic status of the water and the sediment was an important factor regulating emissions. By using multiple linear regression 87% of the variation in CH₄ could be explained by PO₄ ^3? concentration in the sediment and Fe²⁺ concentration in the water, and 89% of the CO₂ flux could be explained by depth, EC and pH of the water. Decreasing the nutrient loads and input of organic substrates to ditches and lakes by for example reducing application of fertilizers and manure within the catchments and decreasing upward seepage of nutrient rich water from the surrounding area will likely reduce summer emissions of CO₂ and CH₄ from these water bodies.     

Greenhouse gas budget (CO2, CH4 and N2O) of intensively managed grassland following restoration

The first full greenhouse gas (GHG) flux budget of an intensively managed grassland in Switzerland (Chamau) is presented. The three major trace gases, carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) were measured with the eddy covariance (EC) technique. For CO₂ concentrations, an open‐path infrared gas analyzer was used, while N₂O and CH₄ concentrations were measured with a recently developed continuous‐wave quantum cascade laser absorption spectrometer (QCLAS). We investigated the magnitude of these trace gas emissions after grassland restoration, including ploughing, harrowing, sowing, and fertilization with inorganic and organic fertilizers in 2012. Large peaks of N₂O fluxes (20–50 nmol m^?2 s^?1 compared with a <5 nmol m^?2 s^?1 background) were observed during thawing of the soil after the winter period and after mineral fertilizer application followed by re‐sowing in the beginning of the summer season. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) fluxes were controlled by nitrogen input, plant productivity, soil water content and temperature. Management activities led to increased variations of N₂O fluxes up to 14 days after the management event as compared with background fluxes measured during periods without management (<5 nmol m^?2 s^?1). Fluxes of CO₂ remained small until full plant development in early summer 2012. In contrast, methane emissions showed only minor variations over time. The annual GHG flux budget was dominated by N₂O (48% contribution) and CO₂ emissions (44%). CH₄ flux contribution to the annual budget was only minor (8%). We conclude that recently developed multi‐species QCLAS in an EC system open new opportunities to determine the temporal variation of N₂O and CH₄ fluxes, which further allow to quantify annual emissions. With respect to grassland restoration, our study emphasizes the key role of N₂O and CO₂ losses after ploughing, changing a permanent grassland from a carbon sink to a significant carbon source.     

城市复杂环境中碳通量日变化规律及其影响因素

城市是人类居住和活动最集中地区，其CO₂排放量占世界总排放量的71%，城市碳排放规律研究对全球碳减排工作具有重要意义。利用涡动相关技术观测了北京市某街区2015年至2016年的CO₂通量，重点研究了不同时间尺度和气象条件下的CO₂通量的日变化规律，分析了影响城市CO₂通量的社会及自然因素。结果表明，CO₂通量日变化特征具有（1）明显的早晚"双峰型"特征，早晚高峰分别出现在早上7：30-9：30和晚上17：30-20：30；（2）周末特征：周末早高峰时间延迟，晚于工作日约1.5h，且峰值低了约10.8%，但晚高峰时间提前，且峰值高于工作日约10.6%；（3）季节特征：冬季CO₂通量均值和早高峰值明显高于其他季节，夏季中午具有明显低峰区；（4）风向特征：在不同来风方向上，CO₂通量的日变化峰值差异很大；（5）天气特征：阴天双峰特征比晴天明显。研究表明CO₂通量日变化主要与交通流量动态变化关系最为密切，其次要受到植被的影响。因此，交通减排和植被增汇对于控制城市碳排放具有重要意义。     

西土寒宪蚓和三叉苦植物对大叶相思人工林土壤CO2通量的短期效应

西土寒宪蚓(Ocnerodrilus occidentalis)为广东人工林和撂荒地内广泛分布的外来种蚯蚓, 因其对水热、pH值及土壤有机质等的变化不敏感, 其分布范围有逐渐扩大的趋势。研究西土寒宪蚓对人工林碳循环的影响过程, 可以为如何减少外来蚯蚓影响下的人工林土壤碳排放提供思路。在广东鹤山大叶相思(Acacia auriculaeformis)人工林内设置外来蚯蚓和乡土植物野外控制实验, 利用静态箱-气相色谱法对土壤CO₂通量进行15天的原位测定。结果发现, 单独添加西土寒宪蚓及单独种植三叉苦(Evodia lepta), 对土壤CO₂通量的效应都不明显。植物物理过程(如遮阴作用等)、植物生物过程(如根际化学物质分泌过程等)及植物在未添加蚯蚓样方和添加蚯蚓样方中对土壤CO₂通量的效应分别为-32.1%、40.9%、8.8%和-7.2%、30.7%、23.5%。植物的物理过程抑制了土壤CO₂排放, 但提高了蚯蚓对土壤CO₂排放的促进作用(提高了39.3%)。植物的生物过程促进了土壤CO₂排放, 但减弱了蚯蚓对土壤CO₂排放的促进作用(降低了23.5%)。试验期间蚯蚓对多数土壤理化性质的影响并不明显, 但是蚯蚓的存在有增强土壤细菌活性的趋势, 而且使土壤CO₂通量与土壤理化性质的相关性更加密切了; 同时, 蚯蚓的存在也使土壤CO₂通量与土壤水热因子的关系发生了变化。可见, 森林土壤CO₂通量不仅与水热条件有关, 还受地上和地下生物过程的调控。如果只关注森林土壤CO₂通量的大小, 而忽略影响土壤CO₂产生及释放的生物学过程, 将无法找到减少森林土壤CO₂排放的有效途径。减缓人工林中土壤碳的排放, 必须综合考虑植物物理过程、植物生物过程以及蚯蚓对土壤CO₂排放过程的独立效应和交互效应。     

A synthesis of methane emissions from shallow vegetated coastal ecosystems

Vegetated coastal ecosystems (VCEs; i.e., mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses) play a critical role in global carbon (C) cycling, storing 10× more C than temperate forests. Methane (CH₄), a potent greenhouse gas, can form in the sediments of these ecosystems. Currently, CH₄ emissions are a missing component of VCE C budgets. This review summarizes 97 studies describing CH₄ fluxes from mangrove, salt marsh, and seagrass ecosystems and discusses factors controlling CH₄ flux in these systems. CH₄ fluxes from these ecosystems were highly variable yet they all act as net methane sources (median, range; mangrove: 279.17, ?67.33 to 72,867.83; salt marsh: 224.44, ?92.60 to 94,129.68; seagrass: 64.80, 1.25–401.50 µmol CH₄ m^?2 day^?1). Together CH₄ emissions from mangrove, salt marsh, and seagrass ecosystems are about 0.33–0.39 Tmol CH₄‐C/year—an addition that increases the current global marine CH₄ budget by more than 60%. The majority (~45%) of this increase is driven by mangrove CH₄ fluxes. While organic matter content and quality were commonly reported in individual studies as the most important environmental factors driving CH₄ flux, they were not significant predictors of CH₄ flux when data were combined across studies. Salinity was negatively correlated with CH₄ emissions from salt marshes, but not seagrasses and mangroves. Thus the available data suggest that other environmental drivers are important for predicting CH₄ emissions in vegetated coastal systems. Finally, we examine stressor effects on CH₄ emissions from VCEs and we hypothesize that future changes in temperature and other anthropogenic activites (e.g., nitrogen loading) will likely increase CH₄ emissions from these ecosystems. Overall, this review highlights the current and growing importance of VCEs in the global marine CH₄ budget.     

Vegetation Type Dominates the Spatial Variability in CH<Subscript>4</Subscript> Emissions Across Multiple Arctic Tundra Landscapes

Methane (CH₄) emissions from Arctic tundra are an important feedback to global climate. Currently, modelling and predicting CH₄ fluxes at broader scales are limited by the challenge of upscaling plot-scale measurements in spatially heterogeneous landscapes, and by uncertainties regarding key controls of CH₄ emissions. In this study, CH₄ and CO₂ fluxes were measured together with a range of environmental variables and detailed vegetation analysis at four sites spanning 300 km latitude from Barrow to Ivotuk (Alaska). We used multiple regression modelling to identify drivers of CH₄ flux, and to examine relationships between gross primary productivity (GPP), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and CH₄ fluxes. We found that a highly simplified vegetation classification consisting of just three vegetation types (wet sedge, tussock sedge and other) explained 54% of the variation in CH₄ fluxes across the entire transect, performing almost as well as a more complex model including water table, sedge height and soil moisture (explaining 58% of the variation in CH₄ fluxes). Substantial CH₄ emissions were recorded from tussock sedges in locations even when the water table was lower than 40 cm below the surface, demonstrating the importance of plant-mediated transport. We also found no relationship between instantaneous GPP and CH₄ fluxes, suggesting that models should be cautious in assuming a direct relationship between primary production and CH₄ emissions. Our findings demonstrate the importance of vegetation as an integrator of processes controlling CH₄ emissions in Arctic ecosystems, and provide a simplified framework for upscaling plot scale CH₄ flux measurements from Arctic ecosystems.