Methane emissions from tropical freshwater wetlands located in different climatic zones of Costa Rica

Wetlands are the largest natural source of the greenhouse gas methane to the atmosphere. Despite the fact that a large percentage of wetlands occur in tropical latitudes, methane emissions from natural tropical wetlands have not been extensively studied. The objective this research was to compare methane emissions from three natural tropical wetlands located in different climatic and ecological areas of Costa Rica. Each wetland was within a distinct ecosystem: (1) a humid flow‐through wetland slough with high mean annual temperatures (25.9 °C) and precipitation (3700 mm yr^?1); (2) a stagnant rainforest wetland with high mean annual temperatures (24.9 °C) and precipitation (4400 mm yr^?1); or (3) a seasonally wet riverine wetland with very high mean annual temperatures (28.2 °C) and lower mean annual precipitation (1800 mm yr^?1). Methane emission rates were measured from sequential gas samples using nonsteady state plastic chambers during six sampling periods over a 29‐month period from 2006 to 2009. Methane emissions were higher than most rates previously reported for tropical wetlands with means (medians) of 91 (52), 601 (79), and 719 (257) mg CH₄‐C m^?2 day^?1 for the three sites, with highest rates seen at the seasonally flooded wetland site. Methane emissions were statistically higher at the seasonally wet site than at the humid sites (P<0.001). Highest methane emissions occurred when surface water levels were between 30 and 50 cm. The interaction of soil temperature, water depth, and seasonal flooding most likely affected methanogenesis in these tropical sites. We estimate that Costa Rican wetlands produce about 0.80 Tg yr^?1 of methane, or approximately 0.6% of global tropical wetland emissions. Elevated methane emissions at the seasonally wet/warmer wetland site suggest that some current humid tropical freshwater wetlands of Central America could emit more methane if temperatures increase and precipitation becomes more seasonal with climate change.     

Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration potential in restored wetlands of the Canadian prairie pothole region

North American prairie pothole wetlands are known to be important carbon stores. As a result there is interest in using wetland restoration and conservation programs to mitigate the effects of increasing greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere. However, the same conditions which cause these systems to accumulate organic carbon also produce the conditions under which methanogenesis can occur. As a result prairie pothole wetlands are potential hotspots for methane emissions. We examined change in soil organic carbon density as well as emissions of methane and nitrous oxide in newly restored, long-term restored, and reference wetlands across the Canadian prairies to determine the net GHG mitigation potential associated with wetland restoration. Our results indicate that methane emissions from seasonal, semi-permanent, and permanent prairie pothole wetlands are quite high while nitrous oxide emissions from these sites are fairly low. Increases in soil organic carbon between newly restored and long-term restored wetlands supports the conclusion that restored wetlands sequester organic carbon. Assuming a sequestration duration of 33 years and a return to historical SOC densities we estimate a mean annual sequestration rate for restored wetlands of 2.7 Mg C ha⁻¹year⁻¹ or 9.9 Mg CO₂ eq. ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Even after accounting for increased CH₄ emissions associated with restoration our research indicates that wetland restoration would sequester approximately 3.25 Mg CO₂ eq. ha⁻¹year⁻¹. This research indicates that widescale restoration of seasonal, semi-permanent, and permanent wetlands in the Canadian prairies could help mitigate GHG emissions in the near term until a more viable long-term solution to increasing atmospheric concentrations of GHGs can be found.     

A comparison of soil carbon pools and profiles in wetlands in Costa Rica and Ohio

Wetlands are large carbon pools and play important roles in global carbon cycles as natural carbon sinks. This study analyzes the variation of total soil carbon with depth in two temperate (Ohio) and three tropical (humid and dry) wetlands in Costa Rica and compares their total soil C pool to determine C accumulation in wetland soils. The temperate wetlands had significantly greater (P < 0.01) C pools (17.6 kg C m⁻²) than did the wetlands located in tropical climates (9.7 kg C m⁻²) in the top 24 cm of soil. Carbon profiles showed a rapid decrease of concentrations with soil depth in the tropical sites, whereas in the temperate wetlands they tended to increase with depth, up to a maximum at 18–24 cm, after which they started decreasing. The two wetlands in Ohio had about ten times the mean total C concentration of adjacent upland soils (e.g., 161 g C kg⁻¹ were measured in a central Ohio isolated forested wetland, and 17 g C kg⁻¹ in an adjacent upland site), and their soil C pools were significantly higher (P < 0.01). Among the five wetland study sites, three main wetland types were identified – isolated forested, riverine flow-through, and slow-flow slough. In the top 24 cm of soil, isolated forested wetlands had the greatest pool (10.8 kg C m⁻²), significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the other two types (7.9 kg C m⁻² in the riverine flow-though wetlands and 8.0 kg C m⁻² in a slowly flowing slough), indicating that the type of organic matter entering into the system and the type of wetland may be key factors in defining its soil C pool. A riverine flow-through wetland in Ohio showed a significantly higher C pool (P < 0.05) in the permanently flooded location (18.5 kg C m⁻²) than in the edge location with fluctuating hydrology, where the soil is intermittently flooded (14.6 kg C m⁻²).     

Diatom fluxes in a tropical,oligotrophic lake dominated by large-sized phytoplankton

Alchichica is a warm-monomictic, oligotrophic lake whose phytoplanktonic biomass is dominated by large size (average ca. 55 μm) diatoms. The fast sinking phytoplankton leads to silica, and other nutrient exportation out of the productive zone of the lake. The aim of the present study was to identify and measure the sedimentation fluxes of the diatom species and their temporal dynamics to better understand the magnitude of silica and carbon fluxes. Sediment-traps were exposed at three different depths and collected monthly. A total of 13 diatom species were observed in the traps. The maximum diatom flux was in February (304 × 10⁶ cells m⁻² day⁻¹) related to the winter diatom bloom. The diatom silica (DSi) fluxes varied from 2.2 to 2,997 mg m⁻² day⁻¹ and the diatom carbon (DC) fluxes from 1.2 to 2,918 mg m⁻² d⁻¹. Cyclotella alchichicana was the main contributor (>98%) to the total DSi and DC fluxes. The annual diatom (15 × 10⁹ cells m⁻² year⁻¹), DSi (147 g m⁻² year⁻¹) and DC (92 g m⁻² year⁻¹) fluxes are higher than in other aquatic ecosystems of similar or even higher trophic conditions. Our findings in Alchichica are indicative of the relevance of the phytoplankton type and size in understanding the role tropical and oligotrophic lakes play regarding silica and carbon fluxes. In addition, our results support previous findings suggesting that inland aquatic ecosystems are more important than formerly thought in processing carbon, and can, therefore, affect regional carbon balances.     

A simulation model for nitrogen retention in a papyrus wetland near Lake Victoria,Uganda (East Africa)

Papyrus wetlands around Lake Victoria, East Africa play an important role in the nutrient flows from the catchment to the lake. A dynamic model for nitrogen cycling was constructed to understand the processes contributing to nitrogen retention in the wetland and to evaluate the effects of papyrus harvesting on the nitrogen absorption capacity of the wetlands. The model had four layers: papyrus mat, water, sludge and sediment. Papyrus growth was modelled as the difference between nitrogen uptake and loss. Nitrogen uptake was modelled with a logistic equation combined with a Monod-type nitrogen limitation. Nitrogen compartments were papyrus plants, organic material in the floating mat; and total ammonia, nitrate and organic nitrogen in the water, sludge and sediment. Apart from the uptake and decay rates of the papyrus, the model included sloughing and settling of mat material into the water, mineralization of organic matter, and nitrification and diffusion of dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Literature data and field measurements were used for parameterization. The model was calibrated with data from Kirinya wetland in Jinja, Uganda which receives effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The model simulated realistic concentrations of dissolved nitrogen with a stable biomass density of papyrus and predicted accumulation of organic sludge in the wetland. Assuming that this sludge is not washed out of the wetland, the overall nitrogen retention of the wetland over a three-year period was 21.5 g N m⁻² year⁻¹ or about 25% of input. Harvesting 10, 20 and 30% of the papyrus biomass per year increased nitrogen retention capacity of the wetland to 32.3, 36.8 and 38.1 g m⁻² year⁻¹, respectively. Although the nutrient flows estimated by the model are within the ranges found in other papyrus wetlands, the model could be improved with regard to the dynamics of detrital nitrogen. Actual net retention of nitrogen in the sludge is likely to be lower than 21.5 g N m⁻² year⁻¹ because of flushing out of the sludge to the lake during the rainy season.     

Carbon sequestration in freshwater wetlands in Costa Rica and Botswana

Tropical wetlands are typically productive ecosystems that can introduce large amounts of carbon into the soil. However, high temperatures and seasonal water availability can hinder the ability of wetland soils to sequester carbon efficiently. We determined the carbon sequestration rate of 12 wetland communities in four different tropical wetlands—an isolated depressional wetland in a rainforest, and a slow flowing rainforest swamp, a riverine flow-through wetland with a marked wet and dry season, a seasonal floodplain of an inland delta—with the intention of finding conditions that favor soil carbon accumulation in tropical wetlands. Triplicate soil cores were extracted in these communities and analyzed for total carbon content to determine the wetland soil carbon pool. We found that the humid tropic wetlands had greater carbon content (P ≤ 0.05) than the tropical dry ones (96.5 and 34.8 g C kg^?1, respectively). While the dry tropic wetlands had similar sequestration rates (63 ± 10 g Cm^?2 y^?1 on average), the humid tropic ones differed significantly (P < 0.001), with high rates in a slow-flowing slough (306 ± 77 g Cm^?2 y^?1) and low rates in a tropical rain forest depressional wetland (84 ± 23 g Cm^?2 y^?1). The carbon accumulating in all of these wetlands was mostly organic (92–100%). These results suggest the importance of differentiating between types of wetland communities and their hydrology when estimating overall rates at which tropical wetlands sequester carbon, and the need to include tropical wetland carbon sequestration in global carbon budgets.     

Tropical wetlands for climate change research, water quality management and conservation education on a university campus in Costa Rica

EARTH University is a small agronomic university with a theme of sustainability in eastern Costa Rica. Several natural and constructed wetlands on its campus are used for research, water quality improvement, and higher education. It has become an important location for research and teaching on humid tropical wetland ecology and management. A 112-ha flow-through Raphia taedigera (Arecaceae) forested wetland is being used for climate change research, focusing on carbon sequestration and methane generation. Methane emissions are measured seasonally and are comparable to rates in tropical wetlands published elsewhere. Carbon sequestration by the wetland appears to be substantially higher than similar flow-through temperate zone wetlands. Treatment wetlands are used on campus to improve water quality of effluents from an animal farm, a dairy plant, a landfill, and a banana paper plant. Water quality was substantially improved in all of these wetlands except the landfill leachate wetland. All of these campus wetlands have been integrated into the four-year education program of EARTH University and 22 undergraduate projects have been completed on wetlands over the past 14 years.     

Carbon and water cycles in tropical papyrus wetlands

Highly productive papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.) wetlands dominate many permanently flooded areas of tropical East Africa; however, the cycling of carbon and water within these ecosystems is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to utilise Eddy Covariance (EC) techniques to measure the fluxes of carbon dioxide and water vapour between papyrus vegetation and the atmosphere in a wetland located near Jinja, Uganda on the Northern shore of Lake Victoria. Peak, midday rates of photosynthetic CO₂ net assimilation were approximately 40 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹, while night time losses through respiration ranged between 10 and 20 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹. Numerical integration of the flux data suggests that papyrus wetlands have the potential to sequester approximately 0.48 kg C m⁻² y⁻¹. The average daily water vapour flux from the papyrus vegetation through canopy evapotranspiration was approximately 4.75 kg H₂O m⁻² d⁻¹, which is approximately 25% higher than water loss through evaporation from open water.     

Biogeochemistry of inter-reef sediments on the northern and central Great Barrier Reef

The deposition and cycling of carbon and nitrogen in carbonate sediments located between coral reefs on the northern and central sections of the Great Barrier Reef were examined. Rates of mass sediment accumulation ranged from 1.9 kg m⁻² year⁻¹ (inshore reefs) to 2.1–4.9 kg m⁻² year⁻¹ (between mid-shelf reefs); sedimentation was minimal off outer-shelf reefs. Rates of total organic carbon decomposition ranged from 1.7 to 11.4 mol C m⁻² year⁻¹ and total nitrogen mineralization ranged from 77 to 438 mmol N m⁻² year⁻¹, declining significantly with distance from land. Sediment organic matter was highly reactive, with mineralization efficiencies ranging from 81 to 99% for organic carbon and 64–100% for nitrogen, with little C and N burial. There was no evidence of carbonate dissolution/precipitation in short-term incubation experiments. Rates of sulfate reduction (range 0–3.4 mmol S m⁻² day⁻¹) and methane release (range 0–12.8 μmol CH₄ m⁻² day⁻¹) were minor or modest pathways of carbon decomposition. Aerobic respiration, estimated by difference between total O₂ consumption and the sum of the other pathways, accounted for 55–98% of total carbon mineralization. Rates of ammonification ranged from 150 to 1,725 μmol NH₄ m⁻² day⁻¹, sufficient to support high rates of denitrification (range 30–2,235 μmol N₂ m⁻² day⁻¹). N₂O release was not detected and rates of NH₄ ⁺ and NO₂ ⁻ + NO₃ ⁻ efflux were low, indicating that most mineralized N was denitrified. The percentage of total N input removed via denitrification averaged ≈75% (range 28–100%) with little regenerated N available for primary producers. Inter-reef environments are therefore significant sites of energy and nutrient flow, especially in spatially complex reef matrices such as the Great Barrier Reef.     

Evaluation of nutrient retention in four restored Danish riparian wetlands

During the last 15–20 years, re-establishment of freshwater riparian wetlands and remeandering of streams and rivers have been used as a tool to mitigate nutrient load in downstream recipients in Denmark. The results obtained on monitoring four different streams and wetland restoration projects are compared with respect to hydrology, i.e. flow pattern and discharge of ground or surface water, retention of phosphorus (P), and removal of nitrogen (N). Furthermore, the monitoring strategies applied for quantifying the post-restoration nutrient retention are evaluated. The four wetland restoration projects are the Brede River restoration (including river valley groundwater flow, remeandering and inundation), Lyngbygaards River restoration (groundwater flow, irrigation with drainage water, inundation with river water and remeandering), Egeskov fen (fen re-establishment and stream remeandering) and Egebjerg Meadows (fen restoration and hydrological reconnection to Store Hansted River). Retention of phosphorus varied between 0.13 and 10 kg P ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, while the removal of nitrogen varied between 52 and 337 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. The monitoring strategy chosen was not optimal at all sites and would have benefitted from a knowledge on local hydrology and water balances in the area to be restored before planning for the final monitoring design. Furthermore, the outcome concerning P retention would have benefitted from a more frequent sampling strategy.     

Litterfall dynamics in carbonate and deltaic mangrove ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico

From 1996 to 2002, we measured litterfall, standing litter crop, and litter turnover rates in scrub, basin, fringe and riverine forests in two contrasting mangrove ecosystems: a carbonate-dominated system in the Southeastern Everglades and a terrigenous-dominated system in Laguna de Terminos (LT), Mexico. We hypothesized that litter dynamics is driven by latitude, geomorphology, hydrology, soil fertility and soil salinity stress. There were significant temporal patterns in LT with litterfall rates higher during the rainy season (2.4 g m⁻² day⁻¹) than during the dry season (1.8 g m⁻² day⁻¹). Total annual litterfall was significantly higher in the riverine forest (12.8 Mg ha⁻² year⁻¹) than in the fringe and basin forests (9.7 and 5.2 Mg ha⁻² year⁻¹, respectively). In Southeastern Everglades, total annual litterfall was also significantly higher during the rainy season than during the dry season. Spatially, the scrub forest had the lowest annual litterfall (2.5 Mg ha⁻² year⁻¹), while the fringe and basin had the highest (9.1 and 6.5 Mg ha⁻² year⁻¹, respectively). In LT, annual standing litter crop was 3.3 Mg ha⁻¹ in the fringe and 2.2 Mg ha⁻¹ in the basin. Litter turnover rates were significantly higher in the fringe mangrove forest (4.1 year⁻¹) relative to the basin forests (2.2 year⁻¹). At Southeastern Everglades there were significant differences in annual standing litter crop: 1.9, 3.3 and 4.5 Mg ha⁻¹ at scrub, basin and fringe mangrove sites, respectively. Furthermore, turnover rates were similar at both basin and fringe mangrove types (2.1 and 2.0 year⁻¹, respectively) but significantly higher than scrub mangrove forest (1.3 year⁻¹). These findings suggest that litter export is important in regulating litter turnover rates in frequently flooded riverine and fringe forests, while in infrequently flooded basin forests, in situ litter decomposition controls litter turnover rates.     

Increasing fish production from wetlands at Lake Victoria, Uganda using organically manured seasonal wetland fish ponds

The processes driving primary productivity and its impacts on fish production were investigated in field trials in eight seasonal earthen wetland ponds ‘Fingerponds’ (192 m²) in Uganda between 2003 and 2005. The ponds were stocked by the seasonal flood with predominantly Oreochromis spp. at densities ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 fish m⁻². Chicken manure (521, 833 or 1,563 kg ha⁻¹) was applied fortnightly. Results showed that primary productivity was enhanced with maximum average net primary productivity (±Standard Error) of 11.7 (±2.5) g O₂ m⁻² day⁻¹ at the Gaba site and 8.3 (±1.5) g O₂ m⁻² day⁻¹ at the Walukuba site. Net fish yields were higher in manured ponds with up to 2,670 kg ha⁻¹ yield for a 310 day growth period compared to less than 700 kg ha⁻¹ in unmanured ponds. Fish production was limited mainly by high recruitment, falling water levels, light limitation from high suspended solids and turbidity, and low zooplankton biomass. It was concluded that Fingerponds have a high potential for sustainable fish production and can contribute to the alleviation of protein shortages amongst the riparian communities around Lake Victoria. Production can be enhanced further with improved stock management.     

Growth and allocation by a keystone wetland plant, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Panicum hemitomon</Emphasis>, and implications for managing and rehabilitating coastal freshwater marshes,Louisiana, USA

This paper attempts to establish linkages between growth by a keystone wetland plant, Panicum hemitomon Schultes, and the independent and interactive effect of nutrient and hydrologic regime to inform management and rehabilitation of thick-mat floating marsh (TMFM). To do so a manipulative glasshouse experiment employing created TMFM similar to that under consideration for field trials and two levels each of N, P and hydrology was conducted. P. hemitomon grew vigorously under saturated (flooding level with the surface of the mat) when compared to inundated (+15 cm flooding) hydrologic conditions, and under enriched (50 g m⁻² year⁻¹) when compared to non-enriched (25 g m⁻² year⁻¹) N. Further, and as inferred from net CO₂ assimilation, shoot biomass and rhizome biomass and length, N-enriched conditions seemed to lessen inundation stress. For all variables the interaction between N and hydrology was non-significant and there was no observable effect of P. We were unable to infer root or mat buoyancy from root specific gravity measurements but it was evident at harvest that saturation or minimal flooding is required for vigorous root and rhizome growth. This study provides insight to the notion that decreased mat buoyancy (and increased flooding level) resulting from sediment deposition associated with Mississippi River diversions could adversely affect TMFM sustainability, but more clearly demonstrates the need to maintain saturated hydrologic conditions for achieving the type of root and rhizome growth we feel is required for TMFM rehabilitation.     

Methane in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) Estuary and its adjacent marine area: riverine input,sediment release and atmospheric fluxes

Dissolved methane (CH₄) was measured in the waters of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) Estuary and its adjacent marine area during five surveys from 2002 to 2006. Dissolved CH₄ concentrations ranged from 2.71 to 89.2 nM and had seasonal variation with the highest values occurring in summer and lowest in autumn. The horizontal distribution of dissolved CH₄ decreased along the freshwater plume from the river mouth to the open sea. Dissolved CH₄ in surface waters of the Changjiang was observed monthly at the most downstream main channel station Xuliujing (121o2′E, 31o46′N), which ranged from 16.2 to 126.2 nM with an average of 71.6 ± 36.3 nM. The average annual input of CH₄ from the Changjiang to the Estuary and its adjacent area was estimated to be 2.24 mol s⁻¹ equal to 70.6 × 10⁶ mol year⁻¹. Mean CH₄ emission rate from the sediments of the Changjiang Estuary in spring was 1.97 μmol m⁻² day⁻¹, but it may be higher in summer due to hypoxia in the bottom waters and higher temperatures. The annual sea to air CH₄ fluxes from the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent marine area were estimated to be 61.4 ± 22.6 and 16.0 ± 6.1 μmol m⁻² day⁻¹, respectively, using three different gas exchange models. Hence the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent marine area are net sources of atmospheric CH₄.     

Invertebrate drift and benthic community dynamics in a lowland neotropical stream, Costa Rica

In this study we quantified invertebrate drift and related it to the structure of the benthic community, over a 6–8 month period, in a 4th-order tropical stream in Costa Rica. Relative to reports from similar-sized temperate and tropical streams, drift densities were high (2-fold greater: mean 11.2 m⁻³; range 2.5–25 m⁻³), and benthic insect densities were relatively low (>3-fold lower: mean 890 m⁻²; range 228–1504 m⁻²). Drift was dominated by larval shrimps that represented more than 70% of total drift on any given date; the remaining 30% was composed of 54 insect taxa. Among insects, Simuliidae and Chironomidae (Diptera) and Baetidae, Leptohyphes and Tricorythodes (Ephemeroptera) comprised 24% of total drift. Drift periodicity was strongly nocturnal, with peaks at 18:00 h (sunset) and 03:00 h. Our results, and those of previous experiments in the study stream, suggest that nighttime drift is driven by the presence of predatory diurnal drift-feeding fishes and nocturnal adult shrimps. There were no clear seasonal patterns over both ‘dry’ and wet seasons, suggesting that benthic communities are subject to similar stresses throughout the year, and that populations grow and reproduce continuously. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Annual sediment respiration in estuarine sandy intertidal flats in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan

To quantify organic matter mineralization at estuarine intertidal flats, we measured in situ sediment respiration rates using an infrared gas analyzer in estuarine sandy intertidal flats located in the northwestern Seto Inland Sea, Japan. In situ sediment respiration rates showed spatial and seasonal variations, and the mean of the rates is 38.8 mg CO₂-C m⁻² h⁻¹ in summer. In situ sediment respiration rates changed significantly with sediment temperature at the study sites (r ² = 0.70, p < 0.05), although we did not detect any significant correlations between the rates and sediment characteristics. We prepared a model for estimating the annual sediment respiration based on the in situ sediment respiration rates and their temperature coefficient (Q ₁₀ = 1.8). The annual sediment respiration was estimated to be 92 g CO₂-C m⁻² year⁻¹. The total amount of organic carbon mineralization for the entire estuarine intertidal flats through sediment respiration (43 t C year⁻¹) is equivalent to approximately 25% of the annual organic carbon load supplied from the river basin of the estuary.     

Upland Forest Linkages to Seasonal Wetlands: Litter Flux, Processing, and Food Quality

The flux of materials across ecosystem boundaries has significant effects on recipient systems. Because of edge effects, seasonal wetlands in upland forest are good systems to explore these linkages. The purpose of this study was to examine flux of coarse particulate organic matter as litter fall into seasonal wetlands in Minnesota, and the relationship of this flux to development of mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti). We hypothesized that litter flux into seasonal wetlands was dominated by upland plant litter that was lower quality and slower to breakdown than wetland litter, and that development rate of mosquitoes reared on upland litter was less than those reared on wetland litter. Of total litter fall into the wetlands, 71% originated in upland forest. Carbon to nitrogen ratios differed between upland litter (mostly sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) leaves) and wetland litter (mostly black ash (Fraxinus nirgra) leaves), averaging 63.9 and 47.7, respectively over two years. Breakdown rate of black ash leaves was faster than upland leaves (k (day⁻¹) = 0.00329 and 0.00156, respectively), based on the average between wetland margins and centers. Development of mosquito larvae fed black ash leaves was faster than larvae fed upland leaves. Our results demonstrate linkages between upland forests and seasonal wetlands through litter fall. The abundance of upland litter in the wetlands may influence litter breakdown and carbon assimilation by invertebrates. Wetlands receiving high amounts of upland versus wetland litter may be lower quality habitats for invertebrates that depend on detrital pools for their development.     

A Tropical Freshwater Wetland: II. Production,Decomposition, and Peat Formation

As much as 10% of the total carbon stored in peatlands occurs in the tropics. Although tropical peatlands are poorly understood scientifically, they are increasingly exploited for a variety of human uses. Our objective was to measure baseline carbon cycling data in one type of tropical peatland in order to understand better how peat accumulates in these ecosystems. Average plant production for two study sites on the island of Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia over 2 year was 1122 g C m⁻² year⁻¹, of which 1058 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ was aboveground plant production (bole, buttress and litterfall). Although leaves contributed a high proportion of total plant productivity, their rapid decomposition left little carbon for peat accumulation. In contrast, fine roots only contributed 10% to plant productivity, but their slow decomposition allowed them to accumulate as peat. Wood (branches and stems) probably contributed the most carbon to the formation of peat. Despite being on the soil surface, small branches decomposed more slowly than leaves because of their high C:N and lignin:N ratios. In summary, we suggest that tropical peatlands in Micronesia accumulate peat not because of high plant production but rather because of slow decomposition of roots and wood under anaerobic conditions that result from nearly constant high water levels.     

Characteristics of soil CO2 efflux variability in an aseasonal tropical rainforest in Borneo Island

Although soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) efflux from tropical forests may play an important role in global carbon (C) balance, our knowledge of the fluctuations and factors controlling soil CO₂ efflux in the Asian tropics is still poor. This study characterizes the temporal and spatial variability in soil CO₂ efflux in relation to temperature/moisture content and estimates annual efflux from the forest floor in an aseasonal intact tropical rainforest in Sarawak, Malaysia. Soil CO₂ efflux varied widely in space; the range of variation averaged 17.4 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in total. While most CO₂ flux rates were under 10 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹, exceptionally high fluxes were observed sporadically at several sampling points. Semivariogram analysis revealed little spatial dependence in soil CO₂ efflux. Temperature explained nearly half of the spatial heterogeneity, but the effect varied with time. Seasonal variation in CO₂ efflux had no fixed pattern, but was significantly correlated with soil moisture content. The correlation coefficient with soil moisture content (SMC) at 30 and 60 cm depth was higher than at 10 cm depths. The annual soil CO₂ efflux, estimated from the relationship between CO₂ efflux and SMC at 30 cm depth, was 165 mol m⁻² year⁻¹ (1,986 g C m⁻² year⁻¹). As this area is known to suffer severe drought every 4–5 years caused by the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, the results suggest that an unpredictable dry period might affect soil CO₂ efflux, leading an annual variation in soil C balance.