TY - JOUR

T1 - Synthesizing greenhouse gas fluxes across nine european peatlands and shrublands

T2 - responses to climatic and environmental changes

AU - Carter, Mette Sustmann

AU - Larsen, Klaus Steenberg

AU - Emmett, B.

AU - Estiarte, M.

AU - Field, C.

AU - Leith, I.D.

AU - Lund, M.

AU - Meijide, A.

AU - Mills, R.T.E.

AU - Niinemets, Ü.

AU - Peñuelas, J.

AU - Portillo-Estrada, M.

AU - Schmidt, Inger Kappel

AU - Selsted, M.B.

AU - Sheppard, L.J.

AU - Sowerby, A.

AU - Tietema, A.

AU - Beier, Claus

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - In this study, we compare annual fluxes of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and soil respiratory carbon dioxide(CO2) measured at nine European peatlands (n = 4) andshrublands (n = 5). The sites range from northern Swedento Spain, covering a span in mean annual air temperaturefrom 0 to 16 C, and in annual precipitation from 300 to1300mmyr-1. The effects of climate change, including temperatureincrease and prolonged drought, were tested at fiveshrubland sites. At one peatland site, the long-term (>30 yr)effect of drainage was assessed, while increased nitrogen depositionwas investigated at three peatland sites.The shrublands were generally sinks for atmospheric CH4,whereas the peatlands were CH4 sources, with fluxes ranging from -519 to +6890 mgCH4-Cm-2 yr-1 across the studiedecosystems. At the peatland sites, annual CH4 emissionincreased with mean annual air temperature, whilea negative relationship was found between net CH4 uptakeand the soil carbon stock at the shrubland sites. AnnualN2O fluxes were generally small ranging from -14to 42 mgN2O-Nm-2 yr-1. Highest N2O emission occurredat the sites that had highest nitrate (NO-3 ) concentrationin the soil water. Furthermore, experimentally increasedNO-3 deposition led to increased N2O efflux, whereas prolongeddrought and long-term drainage reduced the N2O efflux.Soil CO2 emissions in control plots ranged from 310to 732 gCO2-Cm-2 yr-1. Drought and long-term drainage generally reduced the soil CO2 efflux, except at a hydricshrubland where drought tended to increase soil respiration.In terms of fractional importance of each greenhouse gasto the total numerical global warming response, the change inCO2 efflux dominated the response in all treatments (ranging71–96 %), except for NO-3 addition where 89% was due tochange in CH4 emissions. Thus, in European peatlands andshrublands the effect on global warming induced by the investigatedanthropogenic disturbances will be dominated byvariations in soil CO2 fluxes.

AB - In this study, we compare annual fluxes of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and soil respiratory carbon dioxide(CO2) measured at nine European peatlands (n = 4) andshrublands (n = 5). The sites range from northern Swedento Spain, covering a span in mean annual air temperaturefrom 0 to 16 C, and in annual precipitation from 300 to1300mmyr-1. The effects of climate change, including temperatureincrease and prolonged drought, were tested at fiveshrubland sites. At one peatland site, the long-term (>30 yr)effect of drainage was assessed, while increased nitrogen depositionwas investigated at three peatland sites.The shrublands were generally sinks for atmospheric CH4,whereas the peatlands were CH4 sources, with fluxes ranging from -519 to +6890 mgCH4-Cm-2 yr-1 across the studiedecosystems. At the peatland sites, annual CH4 emissionincreased with mean annual air temperature, whilea negative relationship was found between net CH4 uptakeand the soil carbon stock at the shrubland sites. AnnualN2O fluxes were generally small ranging from -14to 42 mgN2O-Nm-2 yr-1. Highest N2O emission occurredat the sites that had highest nitrate (NO-3 ) concentrationin the soil water. Furthermore, experimentally increasedNO-3 deposition led to increased N2O efflux, whereas prolongeddrought and long-term drainage reduced the N2O efflux.Soil CO2 emissions in control plots ranged from 310to 732 gCO2-Cm-2 yr-1. Drought and long-term drainage generally reduced the soil CO2 efflux, except at a hydricshrubland where drought tended to increase soil respiration.In terms of fractional importance of each greenhouse gasto the total numerical global warming response, the change inCO2 efflux dominated the response in all treatments (ranging71–96 %), except for NO-3 addition where 89% was due tochange in CH4 emissions. Thus, in European peatlands andshrublands the effect on global warming induced by the investigatedanthropogenic disturbances will be dominated byvariations in soil CO2 fluxes.

U2 - 10.5194/bg-9-3739-2012

DO - 10.5194/bg-9-3739-2012

M3 - Journal article

VL - 9

SP - 3739

EP - 3755

JO - Biogeosciences

JF - Biogeosciences

SN - 1726-4170

IS - 10

ER -