Articles | Volume 12, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-2861-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-2861-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
19 May 2015
Research article |
| 19 May 2015
Biogeochemical indicators of peatland degradation – a case study of a temperate bog in northern Germany
J. P. Krüger
Environmental Geosciences, University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 30, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
J. Leifeld
Air Pollution/Climate Group, Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon ART, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland
S. Glatzel
Department of Geography and Regional Research – Geoecology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
S. Szidat
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
C. Alewell
Environmental Geosciences, University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 30, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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Maral Khodadadi, Christine Alewell, Mohammad Mirzaei, Ehssan Ehssan-Malahat, Farrokh Asadzadeh, Peter Strauss, and Katrin Meusburger
SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2021-2, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2021-2, 2021
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Claudia Mignani, Jörg Wieder, Michael A. Sprenger, Zamin A. Kanji, Jan Henneberger, Christine Alewell, and Franz Conen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 657–664, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-657-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-657-2021, 2021
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Most precipitation above land starts with ice in clouds. It is promoted by extremely rare particles. Some ice-nucleating particles (INPs) cause cloud droplets to already freeze above −15°C, a temperature at which many clouds begin to snow. We found that the abundance of such INPs among other particles of similar size is highest in precipitating air masses and lowest when air carries desert dust. This brings us closer to understanding the interactions between land, clouds, and precipitation.
Lena Wohlgemuth, Stefan Osterwalder, Carl Joseph, Ansgar Kahmen, Günter Hoch, Christine Alewell, and Martin Jiskra
Biogeosciences, 17, 6441–6456, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-6441-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-6441-2020, 2020
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Fabian Rey, Erika Gobet, Christoph Schwörer, Albert Hafner, Sönke Szidat, and Willy Tinner
Clim. Past, 16, 1347–1367, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-1347-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-1347-2020, 2020
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We present a novel post Last Glacial Maximum sediment record from Moossee (Swiss Plateau, southern central Europe). For the first time, five major reorganizations of vegetation could be definitely linked to paramount postglacial temperature and/or moisture changes. Present-day beech-dominated forests have been resilient to long-term climate change and human land use. They may prevail in future if climate warming does not exceed the amplitude of Mid Holocene temperature and moisture variability.
Miriam Groß-Schmölders, Pascal von Sengbusch, Jan Paul Krüger, Kristy Klein, Axel Birkholz, Jens Leifeld, and Christine Alewell
SOIL, 6, 299–313, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-299-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-299-2020, 2020
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Degradation turns peatlands into a source of CO2. There is no cost- or time-efficient method available for indicating peatland hydrology or the success of restoration. We found that 15N values have a clear link to microbial communities and degradation. We identified trends in natural, drained and rewetted conditions and concluded that 15N depth profiles can act as a reliable and efficient tool for obtaining information on current hydrology, restoration success and drainage history.
Luyao Tu, Paul Zander, Sönke Szidat, Ronald Lloren, and Martin Grosjean
Biogeosciences, 17, 2715–2729, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2715-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2715-2020, 2020
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In a small, deep lake on the Swiss Plateau, net fluxes of labile P fractions in sediments that can be released to surface waters have been predominately controlled by past hypolimnetic anoxic conditions since the early 1900s. More than 40 years of hypolimnetic withdrawal can effectively reduce net P fluxes in sediments and internal P loads but not effectively decrease eutrophication. These findings should likely serve the management of deep eutrophic lakes in temperate zones.
Marcel Bliedtner, Hans von Suchodoletz, Imke Schäfer, Caroline Welte, Gary Salazar, Sönke Szidat, Mischa Haas, Nathalie Dubois, and Roland Zech
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 2105–2120, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-2105-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-2105-2020, 2020
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Pranav Hirave, Guido L. B. Wiesenberg, Axel Birkholz, and Christine Alewell
Biogeosciences, 17, 2169–2180, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2169-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2169-2020, 2020
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Paul D. Zander, Sönke Szidat, Darrell S. Kaufman, Maurycy Żarczyński, Anna I. Poraj-Górska, Petra Boltshauser-Kaltenrieder, and Martin Grosjean
Geochronology, 2, 63–79, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-2-63-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-2-63-2020, 2020
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Recent technological advances allow researchers to obtain radiocarbon ages from smaller samples than previously possible. We investigate the reliability and precision of radiocarbon ages obtained from miniature (11–150 μg C) samples of terrestrial plant fragments taken from sediment cores from Lake Żabińskie, Poland. We further investigate how sampling density (the number of ages per 1000 years) and sample mass (which is related to age precision) influence the performance of age–depth models.
Marlène Lavrieux, Axel Birkholz, Katrin Meusburger, Guido L. B. Wiesenberg, Adrian Gilli, Christian Stamm, and Christine Alewell
Biogeosciences, 16, 2131–2146, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2131-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2131-2019, 2019
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A fingerprinting approach using compound-specific stable isotopes was applied to a lake sediment core to reconstruct erosion processes over the past 150 years in a Swiss catchment. Even though the reconstruction of land use and eutrophication history was successful, the observation of comparatively low δ13C values of plant-derived fatty acids in the sediment suggests their alteration within the lake. Thus, their use as a tool for source attribution in sediment cores needs further investigation.
Karl Espen Yttri, David Simpson, Robert Bergström, Gyula Kiss, Sönke Szidat, Darius Ceburnis, Sabine Eckhardt, Christoph Hueglin, Jacob Klenø Nøjgaard, Cinzia Perrino, Ignazio Pisso, Andre Stephan Henry Prevot, Jean-Philippe Putaud, Gerald Spindler, Milan Vana, Yan-Lin Zhang, and Wenche Aas
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 4211–4233, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4211-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4211-2019, 2019
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Carbonaceous aerosols from natural sources were abundant regardless of season. Residential wood burning (RWB) emissions were occasionally equally as large as or larger than of fossil-fuel sources, depending on season and region. RWB emissions are poorly constrained; thus emissions inventories need improvement. Harmonizing emission factors between countries is likely the most important step to improve model calculations for biomass burning emissions and European PM2.5 concentrations in general.
Claudia Mignani, Jessie M. Creamean, Lukas Zimmermann, Christine Alewell, and Franz Conen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 877–886, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-877-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-877-2019, 2019
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A snow crystal can be generated from an ice nucleating particle or from an ice splinter. In this study we made use of the fact that snow crystals with a particular shape (dendrites) grow within a narrow temperature range (−12 to −17 °C) and can be analysed individually for the presence of an ice nucleating particle. Our direct approach revealed that only one in eight crystals contained such a particle and was of primary origin. The other crystals must have grown from ice splinters.
Arineh Cholakian, Matthias Beekmann, Augustin Colette, Isabelle Coll, Guillaume Siour, Jean Sciare, Nicolas Marchand, Florian Couvidat, Jorge Pey, Valerie Gros, Stéphane Sauvage, Vincent Michoud, Karine Sellegri, Aurélie Colomb, Karine Sartelet, Helen Langley DeWitt, Miriam Elser, André S. H. Prévot, Sonke Szidat, and François Dulac
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 7287–7312, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7287-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7287-2018, 2018
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In this work, four schemes for the simulation of organic aerosols in the western Mediterranean basin are added to the CHIMERE chemistry–transport model; the resulting simulations are then compared to measurements obtained from ChArMEx. It is concluded that the scheme taking into account the fragmentation and the formation of nonvolatile organic aerosols corresponds better to measurements; the major source of this aerosol in the western Mediterranean is found to be of biogenic origin.
Athanasia Vlachou, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Carlo Bozzetti, Benjamin Chazeau, Gary A. Salazar, Soenke Szidat, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Christoph Hueglin, Urs Baltensperger, Imad El Haddad, and André S. H. Prévôt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 6187–6206, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6187-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6187-2018, 2018
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Carbonaceous aerosols are related to adverse human health effects, which depend on the aerosol chemical composition and size. Here, we combine aerosol mass spectrometry and radiocarbon measurements of size-resolved samples collected over a long term to identify the origins of primary and secondary carbonaceous aerosols in the fine and coarse modes.
Di Liu, Matthias Vonwiller, Jun Li, Junwen Liu, Sönke Szidat, Yanlin Zhang, Chongguo Tian, Yinjun Chen, Zhineng Cheng, Guangcai Zhong, Pingqing Fu, and Gan Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2018-295, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2018-295, 2018
Revised manuscript not accepted
Yan-Lin Zhang, Imad El-Haddad, Ru-Jin Huang, Kin-Fai Ho, Jun-Ji Cao, Yongming Han, Peter Zotter, Carlo Bozzetti, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Jay G. Slowik, Gary Salazar, André S. H. Prévôt, and Sönke Szidat
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 4005–4017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4005-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4005-2018, 2018
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Here we present a quantitative source apportionment of WSOC, isolated from aerosols in China using radiocarbon (14C) and offline high-resolution time of flight aerosol mass spectrometer measurements. We demonstrate a dominant contribution of non-fossil emissions to WSOC aerosols in the Northern Hemisphere. However, the fossil fraction is substantially larger in aerosols from East Asia and the east Asian pollution outflow, especially during winter, due to increasing coal combustion.
Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Imad El-Haddad, Lassi Karvonen, Athanasia Vlachou, Joel C. Corbin, Jay G. Slowik, Maarten F. Heringa, Emily A. Bruns, Samuel M. Luedin, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Sönke Szidat, Andrea Piazzalunga, Raquel Gonzalez, Paola Fermo, Valentin Pflueger, Guido Vogel, Urs Baltensperger, and André S. H. Prévôt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 2155–2174, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-2155-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-2155-2018, 2018
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A novel offline LDI-MS method was developed to analyse particulate matter (PM) collected at multiple sites in central Europe during the entire year of 2013. PM sources were identified by positive matrix factorization. Wood burning emissions were separated according to the burning conditions; inefficient burns had a larger impact on air quality in southern Alpine valleys than in northern Switzerland. Moreover, primary tailpipe exhaust was distinguished from aged/secondary traffic emissions.
Cédric Bader, Moritz Müller, Rainer Schulin, and Jens Leifeld
Biogeosciences, 15, 703–719, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-703-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-703-2018, 2018
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When drained, peatlands degrade and release large quantities of CO2, thereby contributing to global warming. Do land use or the chemical composition of peat control the rate of that release? We studied 21 sites from the temperate climate zone managed as croplands, grasslands, or forests and found that the CO2 release was high, but only slightly influenced by land use or peat composition. Hence, only keeping peatlands in their natural state prevents them from becoming strong CO2 sources.
Marcel Lerch, Marcel Bliedtner, Christopher-Bastian Roettig, Jan-Uwe Schmidt, Sönke Szidat, Gary Salazar, Roland Zech, Bruno Glaser, Arno Kleber, and Michael Zech
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 66, 103–108, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-66-103-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-66-103-2018, 2018
Lorenz Wüthrich, Marcel Bliedtner, Imke Kathrin Schäfer, Jana Zech, Fatemeh Shajari, Dorian Gaar, Frank Preusser, Gary Salazar, Sönke Szidat, and Roland Zech
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 66, 91–100, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-66-91-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-66-91-2017, 2017
Sebastian Rainer Fiedler, Jürgen Augustin, Nicole Wrage-Mönnig, Gerald Jurasinski, Bertram Gusovius, and Stephan Glatzel
SOIL, 3, 161–176, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-3-161-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-3-161-2017, 2017
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Injection of biogas digestates (BDs) is suspected to increase losses of N2O and thus to counterbalance prevented NH3 emissions. We determined N2O and N2 losses after mixing high concentrations of BD into two soils by an incubation under an artificial helium–oxygen atmosphere. Emissions did not increase with the application rate of BD, probably due to an inhibitory effect of the high NH4+ content in BD on nitrification. However, cumulated gaseous N losses may effectively offset NH3 reductions.
Tesfaye A. Berhanu, Sönke Szidat, Dominik Brunner, Ece Satar, Rüdiger Schanda, Peter Nyfeler, Michael Battaglia, Martin Steinbacher, Samuel Hammer, and Markus Leuenberger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 10753–10766, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-10753-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-10753-2017, 2017
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Fossil fuel CO2 is the major contributor of anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere, and accurate quantification is essential to better understand the carbon cycle. Such accurate quantification can be conducted based on radiocarbon measurements. In this study, we present radiocarbon measurements from a tall tower site in Switzerland. From these measurements, we have observed seasonally varying fossil fuel CO2 contributions and a biospheric CO2 component that varies diurnally and seasonally.
Laura Arata, Katrin Meusburger, Alexandra Bürge, Markus Zehringer, Michael E. Ketterer, Lionel Mabit, and Christine Alewell
SOIL, 3, 113–122, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-3-113-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-3-113-2017, 2017
Prettiny K. Ma, Yunliang Zhao, Allen L. Robinson, David R. Worton, Allen H. Goldstein, Amber M. Ortega, Jose L. Jimenez, Peter Zotter, André S. H. Prévôt, Sönke Szidat, and Patrick L. Hayes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 9237–9259, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9237-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9237-2017, 2017
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Airborne particulate matter (PM) negatively impacts air quality in cities throughout the world. An important fraction of PM is organic aerosol. We have evaluated and developed several new models for secondary organic aerosol (SOA), which is formed from the chemical processing of gaseous precursors. Using our model results, we have quantified important SOA sources and precursors and also identified possible model parameterizations that could be used for air quality predictions.
Vincent Michoud, Jean Sciare, Stéphane Sauvage, Sébastien Dusanter, Thierry Léonardis, Valérie Gros, Cerise Kalogridis, Nora Zannoni, Anaïs Féron, Jean-Eudes Petit, Vincent Crenn, Dominique Baisnée, Roland Sarda-Estève, Nicolas Bonnaire, Nicolas Marchand, H. Langley DeWitt, Jorge Pey, Aurélie Colomb, François Gheusi, Sonke Szidat, Iasonas Stavroulas, Agnès Borbon, and Nadine Locoge
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 8837–8865, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8837-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8837-2017, 2017
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The ChArMEx SOP2 field campaign took place from 15 July to 5 August 2013 in the western Mediterranean Basin at Ersa, a remote site in Cape Corse. Exhaustive descriptions of the chemical composition of air masses in gas and aerosol phase were performed. An analysis of these measurements was performed using various source-receptor approaches. This led to the identification of several factors linked to primary sources but also to secondary processes of both biogenic and anthropogenic origin.
Célia J. Sapart, Natalia Shakhova, Igor Semiletov, Joachim Jansen, Sönke Szidat, Denis Kosmach, Oleg Dudarev, Carina van der Veen, Matthias Egger, Valentine Sergienko, Anatoly Salyuk, Vladimir Tumskoy, Jean-Louis Tison, and Thomas Röckmann
Biogeosciences, 14, 2283–2292, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2283-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2283-2017, 2017
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The Arctic Ocean, especially the Siberian shelves, overlays large areas of subsea permafrost that is degrading. We show that methane with a biogenic origin is emitted from this permafrost. At locations where bubble plumes have been observed, methane can escape oxidation in the surface sediment and rapidly migrate through the very shallow water column of this region to escape to the atmosphere, generating a positive radiative feedback.
Peter Zotter, Hanna Herich, Martin Gysel, Imad El-Haddad, Yanlin Zhang, Griša Močnik, Christoph Hüglin, Urs Baltensperger, Sönke Szidat, and André S. H. Prévôt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 4229–4249, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-4229-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-4229-2017, 2017
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Most studies use a single Ångström exponent for wood burning (αWB) and traffic (αTR) emissions in the Aethalometer model, used for source apportionment of black carbon, derived from previous work. However, accurate determination of the α values is currently lacking. Comparing radiocarbon measurements (14C) with the Aehtalometer model, good agreement was found, indicating that the Aethalometer model reproduces reasonably well the 14C results using our best estimate of a single αWB and αTR.
Emiliano Stopelli, Franz Conen, Caroline Guilbaud, Jakob Zopfi, Christine Alewell, and Cindy E. Morris
Biogeosciences, 14, 1189–1196, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1189-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1189-2017, 2017
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Based on the analysis of precipitation collected at high altitude, this study provides a relevant advancement in the assessment of the major factors responsible for the abundance and variability of airborne bacterial cells and Pseudomonas syringae in relation to ice nucleators. This is of prime importance to obtain a better understanding of the impact of ice-nucleation-active organisms on the development of precipitation and to determine the dispersal potential of airborne microorganisms.
Ulrike Dusek, Regina Hitzenberger, Anne Kasper-Giebl, Magdalena Kistler, Harro A. J. Meijer, Sönke Szidat, Lukas Wacker, Rupert Holzinger, and Thomas Röckmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 3233–3251, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-3233-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-3233-2017, 2017
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Measurements of the radioactive carbon isotope 14C allow to identify the sources of aerosol carbon. We report an extensive 14C source apportionment record in the Netherlands with samples covering a whole year. We discovered that long-range transport has a large influence on aerosol carbon levels. Fossil fuel carbon is least influenced by long-range transport and more regional in origin. Biomass burning seems to be a minor source of aerosol carbon in the Netherlands.
Chiara Uglietti, Alexander Zapf, Theo Manuel Jenk, Michael Sigl, Sönke Szidat, Gary Salazar, and Margit Schwikowski
The Cryosphere, 10, 3091–3105, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-3091-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-3091-2016, 2016
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A meaningful interpretation of the climatic history contained in ice cores requires a precise chronology. For dating the older and deeper part of the glaciers, radiocarbon analysis can be used when organic matter such as plant or insect fragments are found in the ice. Since this happens rarely, a complementary dating tool, based on radiocarbon dating of the insoluble fraction of carbonaceous aerosols entrapped in the ice, allows for ice dating between 200 and more than 10 000 years.
Jianzhong Xu, Jinsen Shi, Qi Zhang, Xinlei Ge, Francesco Canonaco, André S. H. Prévôt, Matthias Vonwiller, Sönke Szidat, Jinming Ge, Jianmin Ma, Yanqing An, Shichang Kang, and Dahe Qin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 14937–14957, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14937-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14937-2016, 2016
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This study deployed an AMS field study in Lanzhou, a city in northwestern China, evaluating the chemical composition, sources, and processes of urban aerosols during wintertime. In comparison with the results during summer in Lanzhou, the air pollution during winter was more severe and the sources were more complex. In addition, this paper estimates the contributions of fossil and non-fossil sources of organic carbon to primary and secondary organic carbon using the carbon isotopic method.
Simon Schmidt, Christine Alewell, Panos Panagos, and Katrin Meusburger
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 4359–4373, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4359-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4359-2016, 2016
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We present novel research on the seasonal dynamics of the impact of rainfall (R-factor) on the mobilization of topsoil as soil erosion by water for Switzerland. A modeling approach was chosen that enables the dynamical mapping of the R-factor. Based on the maps and modeling results, we could investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of that factor, which is high for Switzerland. With these results, agronomists can introduce selective erosion control measures.
Sebastian Rainer Fiedler, Peter Leinweber, Gerald Jurasinski, Kai-Uwe Eckhardt, and Stephan Glatzel
SOIL, 2, 475–486, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-475-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-475-2016, 2016
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We applied Py-FIMS, CO2 measurements and hot-water extraction on farmland to investigate short-term effects of tillage on soil organic matter (SOM) turnover. SOM composition changed on the temporal scale of days and the changes varied significantly under different types of amendment. Particularly obvious were the turnover of lignin-derived substances and depletion of carbohydrates due to soil respiration. The long-term impact of biogas digestates on SOM stocks should be examined more closely.
Emiliano Stopelli, Franz Conen, Cindy E. Morris, Erik Herrmann, Stephan Henne, Martin Steinbacher, and Christine Alewell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 8341–8351, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-8341-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-8341-2016, 2016
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Knowing the variability of ice nucleating particles (INPs) helps determining their role in the formation of precipitation. Here we describe and predict the concentrations of INPs active at −8 °C in precipitation samples collected at Jungfraujoch (CH, 3580 m a.s.l.). A high abundance of these INPs can be expected whenever a coincidence of high wind speed and first precipitation from an air mass occurs. This expands the set of conditions where such INPs could affect the onset of precipitation.
Lorenzo Menichetti, Thomas Kätterer, and Jens Leifeld
Biogeosciences, 13, 3003–3019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3003-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3003-2016, 2016
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Soil organic carbon dynamics are crucial for the global greenhouse gas balance, but their complexity is difficult to model and understand. We therefore often rely on radiocarbon measurements for calibrating models, but their effect on our understanding of the processes is still unclear. We calibrated five model structures on data from a long-term Swiss field experiment in a Bayesian framework to assess the effect of radiocarbon on the parameter and structural uncertainty of a soil carbon model.
Vidmantas Ulevicius, Steigvilė Byčenkienė, Carlo Bozzetti, Athanasia Vlachou, Kristina Plauškaitė, Genrik Mordas, Vadimas Dudoitis, Gülcin Abbaszade, Vidmantas Remeikis, Andrius Garbaras, Agne Masalaite, Jan Blees, Roman Fröhlich, Kaspar R. Dällenbach, Francesco Canonaco, Jay G. Slowik, Josef Dommen, Ralf Zimmermann, Jürgen Schnelle-Kreis, Gary A. Salazar, Konstantinos Agrios, Sönke Szidat, Imad El Haddad, and André S. H. Prévôt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 5513–5529, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-5513-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-5513-2016, 2016
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In early spring the Baltic region is frequently affected by high pollution events due to biomass burning in that area. Here we present a comprehensive study to investigate the impact of biomass/grass burning (BB) on the evolution and composition of aerosol in Preila, Lithuania, during springtime open fires.
Christine Alewell, Axel Birkholz, Katrin Meusburger, Yael Schindler Wildhaber, and Lionel Mabit
Biogeosciences, 13, 1587–1596, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1587-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1587-2016, 2016
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Origin of suspended sediments in rivers is of crucial importance for optimization of catchment management. Sediment source attribution to a lowland river in central Switzerland with compound specific stable isotopes analysis (CSIA) indicated that 65 % of the suspended sediments originated from agricultural land during base flow, while forest was the dominant source during high flow. We achieved significant differences in CSIA signature from land uses dominated by C3 plant cultivation.
Junwen Liu, Jun Li, Di Liu, Ping Ding, Chengde Shen, Yangzhi Mo, Xinming Wang, Chunling Luo, Zhineng Cheng, Sönke Szidat, Yanlin Zhang, Yingjun Chen, and Gan Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 2985–2996, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-2985-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-2985-2016, 2016
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Many Chinese cities now are suffering the high loadings of fine particular matters, which can bring a lot of negative impacts on air quality, human health, and the climate system. The Chinese government generally focuses on the control of the emissions from vehicles and industry. Our results evidently show that the burning of biomass materials such as wood and agricultural residues can lead to the urban air pollution in China. The characteristic of haze covering China is distinct from regions.
S. Osterwalder, J. Fritsche, C. Alewell, M. Schmutz, M. B. Nilsson, G. Jocher, J. Sommar, J. Rinne, and K. Bishop
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 509–524, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-509-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-509-2016, 2016
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Human activities have increased mercury (Hg) cycling between land and atmosphere. To define landscapes as sinks or sources of Hg we have developed an advanced REA system for long-term measurements of gaseous elemental Hg exchange. It was tested in two contrasting environments: above Basel, Switzerland, and a peatland in Sweden. Both landscapes showed net Hg emission (15 and 3 ng m−2 h−1, respectively). The novel system will help to advance our understanding of Hg exchange on an ecosystem scale.
K. R. Daellenbach, C. Bozzetti, A. Křepelová, F. Canonaco, R. Wolf, P. Zotter, P. Fermo, M. Crippa, J. G. Slowik, Y. Sosedova, Y. Zhang, R.-J. Huang, L. Poulain, S. Szidat, U. Baltensperger, I. El Haddad, and A. S. H. Prévôt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 23–39, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-23-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-23-2016, 2016
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In this study, we developed an offline technique using the AMS for the characterization of the chemical fingerprints of aerosols collected on quartz filters, and evaluated the suitability of the organic mass spectral data for source apportionment. This technique may be used to enhance the AMS capabilities in measuring size-fractionated, spatially resolved long-term data sets.
R. Hüppi, R. Felber, A. Neftel, J. Six, and J. Leifeld
SOIL, 1, 707–717, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-707-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-707-2015, 2015
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Biochar is considered an opportunity to tackle major environmental issues in agriculture. Adding pyrolised organic residues to soil may sequester carbon, increase yields and reduce nitrous oxide emissions from soil. It is unknown, whether the latter is induced by changes in soil pH. We show that biochar application substantially reduces nitrous oxide emissions from a temperate maize cropping system. However, the reduction was only achieved with biochar but not with liming.
G. O. Mouteva, S. M. Fahrni, G. M. Santos, J. T. Randerson, Y.-L. Zhang, S. Szidat, and C. I. Czimczik
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3729–3743, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3729-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3729-2015, 2015
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We describe a stepwise uncertainty analysis of 14C measurements of organic (OC) and elemental (EC) carbon fractions of aerosols. Using the Swiss_4S thermal-optical protocol with a newly established trapping setup, we show that we can efficiently isolate and trap each carbon fraction and perform 14C analysis of ultra-small OC and EC samples with high accuracy and low 14C blanks. Our study presents a first step towards the development of a common protocol for OC and EC 14C measurements.
J. Leifeld and J. Mayer
SOIL, 1, 537–542, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-537-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-537-2015, 2015
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We present 14C data for field replicates of a controlled agricultural long-term experiment. We show that 14C variability is, on average, 12 times that of the analytical precision of the 14C measurement. Experimental 14C variability is related to neither management nor soil depth. Application of a simple carbon turnover model reveals that experimental variability of radiocarbon results in higher absolute uncertainties of estimated carbon turnover time for deeper soil layers.
P. L. Hayes, A. G. Carlton, K. R. Baker, R. Ahmadov, R. A. Washenfelder, S. Alvarez, B. Rappenglück, J. B. Gilman, W. C. Kuster, J. A. de Gouw, P. Zotter, A. S. H. Prévôt, S. Szidat, T. E. Kleindienst, J. H. Offenberg, P. K. Ma, and J. L. Jimenez
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 5773–5801, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5773-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5773-2015, 2015
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(1) Four different parameterizations for the formation and chemical evolution of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) are evaluated using a box model representing the Los Angeles region during the CalNex campaign.
(2) The SOA formed only from the oxidation of VOCs is insufficient to explain the observed SOA concentrations.
(3) The amount of SOA mass formed from diesel vehicle emissions is estimated to be 16-27%.
(4) Modeled SOA depends strongly on the P-S/IVOC volatility distribution.
L. R. Crilley, W. J. Bloss, J. Yin, D. C. S. Beddows, R. M. Harrison, J. D. Allan, D. E. Young, M. Flynn, P. Williams, P. Zotter, A. S. H. Prevot, M. R. Heal, J. F. Barlow, C. H. Halios, J. D. Lee, S. Szidat, and C. Mohr
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 3149–3171, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-3149-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-3149-2015, 2015
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Wood is a renewable fuel but its combustion for residential heating releases a number of locally acting air pollutants, most notably particulate matter known to have adverse effects on human health. This paper used chemical tracers for wood smoke to estimate the contribution that burning wood makes to concentrations of airborne particles in the atmosphere of southern England and most particularly in London.
Y.-L. Zhang, R.-J. Huang, I. El Haddad, K.-F. Ho, J.-J. Cao, Y. Han, P. Zotter, C. Bozzetti, K. R. Daellenbach, F. Canonaco, J. G. Slowik, G. Salazar, M. Schwikowski, J. Schnelle-Kreis, G. Abbaszade, R. Zimmermann, U. Baltensperger, A. S. H. Prévôt, and S. Szidat
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 1299–1312, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1299-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1299-2015, 2015
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Source apportionment of fine carbonaceous aerosols using radiocarbon and other organic markers measurements during 2013 winter haze episodes was conducted at four megacities in China. Our results demonstrate that fossil emissions predominate EC with a mean contribution of 75±8%, whereas non-fossil sources account for 55±10% of OC; and the increment of TC on heavily polluted days was mainly driven by the increase of secondary OC from both fossil-fuel and non-fossil emissions.
P. Zotter, V. G. Ciobanu, Y. L. Zhang, I. El-Haddad, M. Macchia, K. R. Daellenbach, G. A. Salazar, R.-J. Huang, L. Wacker, C. Hueglin, A. Piazzalunga, P. Fermo, M. Schwikowski, U. Baltensperger, S. Szidat, and A. S. H. Prévôt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 13551–13570, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-13551-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-13551-2014, 2014
T. Leppelt, R. Dechow, S. Gebbert, A. Freibauer, A. Lohila, J. Augustin, M. Drösler, S. Fiedler, S. Glatzel, H. Höper, J. Järveoja, P. E. Lærke, M. Maljanen, Ü. Mander, P. Mäkiranta, K. Minkkinen, P. Ojanen, K. Regina, and M. Strömgren
Biogeosciences, 11, 6595–6612, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6595-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6595-2014, 2014
K. Meusburger, G. Leitinger, L. Mabit, M. H. Mueller, A. Walter, and C. Alewell
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 3763–3775, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-3763-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-3763-2014, 2014
J. Leifeld, C. Bader, E. Borraz, M. Hoffmann, M. Giebels, M. Sommer, and J. Augustin
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-11-12341-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-11-12341-2014, 2014
Revised manuscript not accepted
S. Stanchi, M. Freppaz, E. Ceaglio, M. Maggioni, K. Meusburger, C. Alewell, and E. Zanini
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 14, 1761–1771, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-14-1761-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-14-1761-2014, 2014
J. P. Krüger, J. Leifeld, and C. Alewell
Biogeosciences, 11, 3369–3380, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-3369-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-3369-2014, 2014
E. Stopelli, F. Conen, L. Zimmermann, C. Alewell, and C. E. Morris
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 129–134, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-129-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-129-2014, 2014
K. Meusburger, L. Mabit, J.-H. Park, T. Sandor, and C. Alewell
Biogeosciences, 10, 5627–5638, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-5627-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-5627-2013, 2013
K. Meusburger, G. Leitinger, L. Mabit, M. H. Mueller, and C. Alewell
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-10-9505-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-10-9505-2013, 2013
Preprint withdrawn
M. H. Mueller, R. Weingartner, and C. Alewell
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1661–1679, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1661-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1661-2013, 2013
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Warming accelerates belowground litter turnover in salt marshes – insights from a Tea Bag Index study
Sedimentary blue carbon dynamics based on chronosequential observations in a tropical restored mangrove forest
Duration of extraction determines CO2 and CH4 emissions from an actively extracted peatland in eastern Quebec, Canada
Nutrient release and flux dynamics of CO2, CH4, and N2O in a coastal peatland driven by actively induced rewetting with brackish water from the Baltic Sea
Quantification of blue carbon in salt marshes of the Pacific coast of Canada
Cutting peatland CO2 emissions with water management practices
Tracking vegetation phenology of pristine northern boreal peatlands by combining digital photography with CO2 flux and remote sensing data
Dissolved organic matter concentration and composition discontinuity at the peat–pool interface in a boreal peatland
Effects of brackish water inflow on methane-cycling microbial communities in a freshwater rewetted coastal fen
High peatland methane emissions following permafrost thaw: enhanced acetoclastic methanogenesis during early successional stages
Origin, transport, and retention of fluvial sedimentary organic matter in South Africa's largest freshwater wetland, Mkhuze Wetland System
Peat macropore networks – new insights into episodic and hotspot methane emission
Mangrove sediment organic carbon storage and sources in relation to forest age and position along a deltaic salinity gradient
Plant genotype controls wetland soil microbial functioning in response to sea-level rise
Soil greenhouse gas fluxes from tropical coastal wetlands and alternative agricultural land uses
Carbon balance of a Finnish bog: temporal variability and limiting factors based on 6 years of eddy-covariance data
High-resolution induced polarization imaging of biogeochemical carbon turnover hotspots in a peatland
Committed and projected future changes in global peatlands – continued transient model simulations since the Last Glacial Maximum
Factors controlling Carex brevicuspis leaf litter decomposition and its contribution to surface soil organic carbon pool at different water levels
Exploring constraints on a wetland methane emission ensemble (WetCHARTs) using GOSAT observations
Global peatland area and carbon dynamics from the Last Glacial Maximum to the present – a process-based model investigation
Vascular plants affect properties and decomposition of moss-dominated peat, particularly at elevated temperatures
Denitrification and associated nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions from the Amazonian wetlands
Drivers of seasonal- and event-scale DOC dynamics at the outlet of mountainous peatlands revealed by high-frequency monitoring
Comparison of eddy covariance CO2 and CH4 fluxes from mined and recently rewetted sections in a northwestern German cutover bog
Microtopography is a fundamental organizing structure of vegetation and soil chemistry in black ash wetlands
Interacting effects of vegetation components and water level on methane dynamics in a boreal fen
Low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailings
Evidence for preferential protein depolymerization in wetland soils in response to external nitrogen availability provided by a novel FTIR routine
Saltwater reduces potential CO2 and CH4 production in peat soils from a coastal freshwater forested wetland
Antoine de Clippele, Astrid C. H. Jaeger, Simon Baumgartner, Marijn Bauters, Pascal Boeckx, Clement Botefa, Glenn Bush, Jessica Carilli, Travis W. Drake, Christian Ekamba, Gode Lompoko, Nivens Bey Mukwiele, Kristof Van Oost, Roland A. Werner, Joseph Zambo, Johan Six, and Matti Barthel
Biogeosciences, 22, 3011–3027, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3011-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3011-2025, 2025
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Tropical forest soils as a large terrestrial source of carbon dioxide (CO2) contribute to the global greenhouse gas budget. Despite this, carbon flux data from forested wetlands are scarce in tropical Africa. The study presents 3 years of semi-continuous measurements of surface CO2 fluxes within the Congo Basin. Although no seasonal patterns were evident, our results show a positive effect of soil temperature and moisture, while a quadratic relationship was observed with the water table.
Alexandra Hedgpeth, Alison M. Hoyt, Kyle C. Cavanaugh, Karis J. McFarlane, and Daniela F. Cusack
Biogeosciences, 22, 2667–2690, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2667-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2667-2025, 2025
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Tropical peatlands store ancient carbon and have been identified as both being vulnerable to future climate change and taking a long time to recover after a disturbance. It is unknown if these gases are produced from decomposition of 1000-year-old peat. Radiocarbon dating shows emitted gases are young, indicating that surface carbon (rather than old peat) drives emissions. Preserving these ecosystems can trap old carbon, mitigating climate change.
Hongxing He, Ian B. Strachan, and Nigel T. Roulet
Biogeosciences, 22, 1355–1368, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1355-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1355-2025, 2025
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This study applied the CoupModel to simulate carbon dynamics and ecohydrology for a restored peatland and evaluated the responses of the simulated carbon fluxes to varying acrotelm thickness and climate. The results show that the CoupModel can simulate the coupled carbon and ecohydrology dynamics for the restored peatland system, and the restored peatland has less resilience in its C-uptake functions than pristine peatlands under a changing climate.
James Stegen, Amy J. Burgin, Michelle H. Busch, Joshua B. Fisher, Joshua Ladau, Jenna Abrahamson, Lauren Kinsman-Costello, Li Li, Xingyuan Chen, Thibault Datry, Nate McDowell, Corianne Tatariw, Anna Braswell, Jillian M. Deines, Julia A. Guimond, Peter Regier, Kenton Rod, Edward K. P. Bam, Etienne Fluet-Chouinard, Inke Forbrich, Kristin L. Jaeger, Teri O'Meara, Tim Scheibe, Erin Seybold, Jon N. Sweetman, Jianqiu Zheng, Daniel C. Allen, Elizabeth Herndon, Beth A. Middleton, Scott Painter, Kevin Roche, Julianne Scamardo, Ross Vander Vorste, Kristin Boye, Ellen Wohl, Margaret Zimmer, Kelly Hondula, Maggi Laan, Anna Marshall, and Kaizad F. Patel
Biogeosciences, 22, 995–1034, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-995-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-995-2025, 2025
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The loss and gain of surface water (variable inundation) are common processes across Earth. Global change shifts variable inundation dynamics, highlighting a need for unified understanding that transcends individual variably inundated ecosystems (VIEs). We review the literature, highlight challenges, and emphasize opportunities to generate transferable knowledge by viewing VIEs through a common lens. We aim to inspire the emergence of a cross-VIE community based on a proposed continuum approach.
Pamela Alessandra Baur, Thiago Rodrigues-Oliveira, Karin Hager, Zhen-Hao Luo, Christa Schleper, and Stephan Glatzel
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-443, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-443, 2025
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In the subsaline reed wetland of Lake Neusiedl, we found the highest CH4 emissions in summer and via plant-mediated transport in each season. A clear diel cycle of CH4 emission was only identified for plant-mediated transport in summer. The isotopic source signature of CH4 differed between seasons, with the most 13C-depleted signature in fall. Desiccation reduced methanogenic diversity in the sediments and resulted in a marked increase and dominance of the O2-tolerant Methanomicrobiales.
Satyatejas G. Reddy, W. Reilly Farrell, Fengrun Wu, Steven C. Pennings, Jonathan Sanderman, Meagan Eagle, Christopher Craft, and Amanda C. Spivak
Biogeosciences, 22, 435–453, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-435-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-435-2025, 2025
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Organic matter decay in salt marsh soils is not well understood. We used the Tea Bag Index, a standardized litter approach, to test how decay changes with soil depth, elevation, and time. The index overestimated decay, but one component, rooibos tea, produced comparable rates to natural litter. We found that decay was higher at shallower depths and lower marsh elevations, suggesting that hydrological setting may be a particularly important control on organic matter loss.
Jalisha Theanutti Kallingal, Marko Scholze, Paul Anthony Miller, Johan Lindström, Janne Rinne, Mika Aurela, Patrik Vestin, and Per Weslien
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3305, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3305, 2024
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We explored the possibilities of a Bayesian-based data assimilation algorithm to improve the wetland CH4 flux estimates by a dynamic vegetation model. By assimilating CH4 observations from 14 wetland sites we calibrated model parameters and estimated large-scale annual emissions from northern wetlands. Our findings indicate that this approach leads to more reliable estimates of CH4 dynamics, which will improve our understanding of the climate change feedback from wetland CH4 emissions.
Katherine A. Haviland and Genevieve L. Noyce
Biogeosciences, 21, 5185–5198, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5185-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5185-2024, 2024
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Plant roots release both oxygen and carbon to the surrounding soil. While oxygen leads to less production of methane (a greenhouse gas), carbon often has the opposite effect. We investigated these processes in two plant species, S. patens and S. americanus. We found that S. patens roots produce more carbon and less oxygen than S. americanus. Additionally, the S. patens pool of root-associated carbon compounds was more dominated by compound types known to lead to higher methane production.
Purbasha Mistry, Irena F. Creed, Charles G. Trick, Eric Enanga, and David A. Lobb
Biogeosciences, 21, 4699–4715, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4699-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4699-2024, 2024
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Precise and accurate estimates of wetland organic carbon sequestration rates are crucial to track the progress of climate action goals through effective carbon budgeting. Radioisotope dating methods using cesium-137 (137Cs) and lead-210 (210Pb) are needed to provide temporal references for these estimations. The choice between using 137Cs or 210Pb, or their combination, depends on respective study objectives, with careful consideration of factors such as dating range and estimation complexity.
Daniel Pönisch, Henry C. Bittig, Martin Kolbe, Ingo Schuffenhauer, Stefan Otto, Peter Holtermann, Kusala Premaratne, and Gregor Rehder
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3246, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3246, 2024
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Rewetted peatlands exhibit natural spatial and temporal biogeochemical heterogeneity, influenced by water level and vegetation. This study investigated the variability of the distribution of GHGs in a brackish-rewetted peatland. Two innovative sensor-equipped landers were used to measure a wide range of marine physicochemical variables at high temporal resolution. The measurements revealed strong fluctuations in CO2 and CH4, expressed as multi-day, diurnal and event-based variability.
Katharina Jentzsch, Elisa Männistö, Maija E. Marushchak, Aino Korrensalo, Lona van Delden, Eeva-Stiina Tuittila, Christian Knoblauch, and Claire C. Treat
Biogeosciences, 21, 3761–3788, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3761-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3761-2024, 2024
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During cold seasons, methane release from northern wetlands is important but often underestimated. We studied a boreal bog to understand methane emissions in spring and fall. At cold temperatures, methane release decreases due to lower production rates, but efficient methane transport through plant structures, decaying plants, and the release of methane stored in the pore water keep emissions ongoing. Understanding these seasonal processes can improve models for methane release in cold climates.
Markku Koskinen, Jani Anttila, Valerie Vranová, Ladislav Holik, Kevin Roche, Michel Vorenhout, Mari Pihlatie, and Raija Laiho
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2050, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2050, 2024
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Redox potential, indicative of the active pathways of organic matter decomposition, was monitored for two years in a boreal peatland with three drainage regimes. Contrary to expectations, water table level and redox potential were found to not correlate in a monotonic fashion and thus the relationship between water table level and redox conditions is not modellable by non-dynamic models.
Julien Arsenault, Julie Talbot, Tim R. Moore, Klaus-Holger Knorr, Henning Teickner, and Jean-François Lapierre
Biogeosciences, 21, 3491–3507, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3491-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3491-2024, 2024
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Peatlands are among the largest carbon (C) sinks on the planet. However, peatland features such as open-water pools emit more C than they accumulate because of higher decomposition than production. With this study, we show that the rates of decomposition vary among pools and are mostly driven by the environmental conditions in pools rather than by the nature of the material being decomposed. This means that changes in pool number or size may modify the capacity of peatlands to accumulate C.
Alice Puppin, Davide Tognin, Massimiliano Ghinassi, Erica Franceschinis, Nicola Realdon, Marco Marani, and Andrea D'Alpaos
Biogeosciences, 21, 2937–2954, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2937-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2937-2024, 2024
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This study aims at inspecting organic matter dynamics affecting the survival and carbon sink potential of salt marshes, which are valuable yet endangered wetland environments. Measuring the organic matter content in marsh soils and its relationship with environmental variables, we observed that the organic matter accumulation varies at different scales, and it is driven by the interplay between sediment supply and vegetation, which are affected, in turn, by marine and fluvial influences.
Patrick J. Neale, J. Patrick Megonigal, Maria Tzortziou, Elizabeth A. Canuel, Christina R. Pondell, and Hannah Morrissette
Biogeosciences, 21, 2599–2620, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2599-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2599-2024, 2024
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Adsorption/desorption incubations were conducted with tidal marsh soils to understand the differential sorption behavior of colored vs. noncolored dissolved organic carbon. The wetland soils varied in organic content, and a range of salinities of fresh to 35 was used. Soils primarily adsorbed colored organic carbon and desorbed noncolored organic carbon. Sorption capacity increased with salinity, implying that salinity variations may shift composition of dissolved carbon in tidal marsh waters.
Leeza Speranskaya, David I. Campbell, Peter M. Lafleur, and Elyn R. Humphreys
Biogeosciences, 21, 1173–1190, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1173-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1173-2024, 2024
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Higher evaporation has been predicted in peatlands due to climatic drying. We determined whether the water-conservative vegetation at a Southern Hemisphere bog could cause a different response to dryness compared to a "typical" Northern Hemisphere bog, using decades-long evaporation datasets from each site. At the southern bog, evaporation increased at a much lower rate with increasing dryness, suggesting that this peatland type may be more resilient to climate warming than northern bogs.
Emilia Chiapponi, Sonia Silvestri, Denis Zannoni, Marco Antonellini, and Beatrice M. S. Giambastiani
Biogeosciences, 21, 73–91, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-73-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-73-2024, 2024
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Coastal wetlands are important for their ability to store carbon, but they also emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This study conducted in four wetlands in Ravenna, Italy, aims at understanding how environmental factors affect greenhouse gas emissions. Temperature and irradiance increased emissions from water and soil, while water column depth and salinity limited them. Understanding environmental factors is crucial for mitigating climate change in wetland ecosystems.
Jyrki Jauhiainen, Juha Heikkinen, Nicholas Clarke, Hongxing He, Lise Dalsgaard, Kari Minkkinen, Paavo Ojanen, Lars Vesterdal, Jukka Alm, Aldis Butlers, Ingeborg Callesen, Sabine Jordan, Annalea Lohila, Ülo Mander, Hlynur Óskarsson, Bjarni D. Sigurdsson, Gunnhild Søgaard, Kaido Soosaar, Åsa Kasimir, Brynhildur Bjarnadottir, Andis Lazdins, and Raija Laiho
Biogeosciences, 20, 4819–4839, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4819-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4819-2023, 2023
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The study looked at published data on drained organic forest soils in boreal and temperate zones to revisit current Tier 1 default emission factors (EFs) provided by the IPCC Wetlands Supplement. We examined the possibilities of forming more site-type specific EFs and inspected the potential relevance of environmental variables for predicting annual soil greenhouse gas balances by statistical models. The results have important implications for EF revisions and national emission reporting.
Jennifer Williamson, Chris Evans, Bryan Spears, Amy Pickard, Pippa J. Chapman, Heidrun Feuchtmayr, Fraser Leith, Susan Waldron, and Don Monteith
Biogeosciences, 20, 3751–3766, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3751-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3751-2023, 2023
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Managing drinking water catchments to minimise water colour could reduce costs for water companies and save their customers money. Brown-coloured water comes from peat soils, primarily around upland reservoirs. Management practices, including blocking drains, removing conifers, restoring peatland plants and reducing burning, have been used to try and reduce water colour. This work brings together published evidence of the effectiveness of these practices to aid water industry decision-making.
Ting Sun and Brian A. Branfireun
Biogeosciences, 20, 2971–2984, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2971-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2971-2023, 2023
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Shrub leaves had higher mercury concentrations than sedge leaves in the sedge-dominated peatland. Dead shrub leaves leached less soluble mercury but more bioaccessible dissolved organic matter than dead sedge leaves. Leached mercury was positively related to the aromaticity of dissolved organic matter in leachate. Future plant species composition changes under climate change will affect Hg input from plant leaves to northern peatlands.
Hao Tang, Stefanie Nolte, Kai Jensen, Roy Rich, Julian Mittmann-Goetsch, and Peter Mueller
Biogeosciences, 20, 1925–1935, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1925-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1925-2023, 2023
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In order to gain the first mechanistic insight into warming effects and litter breakdown dynamics across whole-soil profiles, we used a unique field warming experiment and standardized plant litter to investigate the degree to which rising soil temperatures can accelerate belowground litter breakdown in coastal wetland ecosystems. We found warming strongly increases the initial rate of labile litter decomposition but has less consistent effects on the stabilization of this material.
Raghab Ray, Rempei Suwa, Toshihiro Miyajima, Jeffrey Munar, Masaya Yoshikai, Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone, and Kazuo Nadaoka
Biogeosciences, 20, 911–928, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-911-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-911-2023, 2023
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Mangroves are blue carbon ecosystems known to store large amounts of organic carbon in the sediments. This study is a first attempt to apply a chronosequence (or space-for-time substitution) approach to evaluate the distribution and accumulation rate of carbon in a 30-year-old (maximum age) restored mangrove forest. Using this approach, the contribution of restored or planted mangroves to sedimentary organic carbon presents an increasing pattern with mangrove age.
Laura Clark, Ian B. Strachan, Maria Strack, Nigel T. Roulet, Klaus-Holger Knorr, and Henning Teickner
Biogeosciences, 20, 737–751, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-737-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-737-2023, 2023
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We determine the effect that duration of extraction has on CO2 and CH4 emissions from an actively extracted peatland. Peat fields had high net C emissions in the first years after opening, and these then declined to half the initial value for several decades. Findings contribute to knowledge on the atmospheric burden that results from these activities and are of use to industry in their life cycle reporting and government agencies responsible for greenhouse gas accounting and policy.
Daniel L. Pönisch, Anne Breznikar, Cordula N. Gutekunst, Gerald Jurasinski, Maren Voss, and Gregor Rehder
Biogeosciences, 20, 295–323, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-295-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-295-2023, 2023
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Peatland rewetting is known to reduce dissolved nutrients and greenhouse gases; however, short-term nutrient leaching and high CH4 emissions shortly after rewetting are likely to occur. We investigated the rewetting of a coastal peatland with brackish water and its effects on nutrient release and greenhouse gas fluxes. Nutrient concentrations were higher in the peatland than in the adjacent bay, leading to an export. CH4 emissions did not increase, which is in contrast to freshwater rewetting.
Stephen G. Chastain, Karen E. Kohfeld, Marlow G. Pellatt, Carolina Olid, and Maija Gailis
Biogeosciences, 19, 5751–5777, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5751-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5751-2022, 2022
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Salt marshes are thought to be important carbon sinks because of their ability to store carbon in their soils. We provide the first estimates of how much blue carbon is stored in salt marshes on the Pacific coast of Canada. We find that the carbon stored in the marshes is low compared to other marshes around the world, likely because of their young age. Still, the high marshes take up carbon at rates faster than the global average, making them potentially important carbon sinks in the future.
Jim Boonman, Mariet M. Hefting, Corine J. A. van Huissteden, Merit van den Berg, Jacobus (Ko) van Huissteden, Gilles Erkens, Roel Melman, and Ype van der Velde
Biogeosciences, 19, 5707–5727, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5707-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5707-2022, 2022
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Draining peat causes high CO2 emissions, and rewetting could potentially help solve this problem. In the dry year 2020 we measured that subsurface irrigation reduced CO2 emissions by 28 % and 83 % on two research sites. We modelled a peat parcel and found that the reduction depends on seepage and weather conditions and increases when using pressurized irrigation or maintaining high ditchwater levels. We found that soil temperature and moisture are suitable as indicators of peat CO2 emissions.
Maiju Linkosalmi, Juha-Pekka Tuovinen, Olli Nevalainen, Mikko Peltoniemi, Cemal M. Taniş, Ali N. Arslan, Juuso Rainne, Annalea Lohila, Tuomas Laurila, and Mika Aurela
Biogeosciences, 19, 4747–4765, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4747-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4747-2022, 2022
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Vegetation greenness was monitored with digital cameras in three northern peatlands during five growing seasons. The greenness index derived from the images was highest at the most nutrient-rich site. Greenness indicated the main phases of phenology and correlated with CO2 uptake, though this was mainly related to the common seasonal cycle. The cameras and Sentinel-2 satellite showed consistent results, but more frequent satellite data are needed for reliable detection of phenological phases.
Antonin Prijac, Laure Gandois, Laurent Jeanneau, Pierre Taillardat, and Michelle Garneau
Biogeosciences, 19, 4571–4588, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4571-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4571-2022, 2022
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Pools are common features of peatlands. We documented dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in pools and peat of an ombrotrophic boreal peatland to understand its origin and potential role in the peatland carbon budget. The survey reveals that DOM composition differs between pools and peat, although it is derived from the peat vegetation. We investigated which processes are involved and estimated that the contribution of carbon emissions from DOM processing in pools could be substantial.
Cordula Nina Gutekunst, Susanne Liebner, Anna-Kathrina Jenner, Klaus-Holger Knorr, Viktoria Unger, Franziska Koebsch, Erwin Don Racasa, Sizhong Yang, Michael Ernst Böttcher, Manon Janssen, Jens Kallmeyer, Denise Otto, Iris Schmiedinger, Lucas Winski, and Gerald Jurasinski
Biogeosciences, 19, 3625–3648, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3625-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3625-2022, 2022
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Methane emissions decreased after a seawater inflow and a preceding drought in freshwater rewetted coastal peatland. However, our microbial and greenhouse gas measurements did not indicate that methane consumers increased. Rather, methane producers co-existed in high numbers with their usual competitors, the sulfate-cycling bacteria. We studied the peat soil and aimed to cover the soil–atmosphere continuum to better understand the sources of methane production and consumption.
Liam Heffernan, Maria A. Cavaco, Maya P. Bhatia, Cristian Estop-Aragonés, Klaus-Holger Knorr, and David Olefeldt
Biogeosciences, 19, 3051–3071, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3051-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3051-2022, 2022
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Permafrost thaw in peatlands leads to waterlogged conditions, a favourable environment for microbes producing methane (CH4) and high CH4 emissions. High CH4 emissions in the initial decades following thaw are due to a vegetation community that produces suitable organic matter to fuel CH4-producing microbes, along with warm and wet conditions. High CH4 emissions after thaw persist for up to 100 years, after which environmental conditions are less favourable for microbes and high CH4 emissions.
Julia Gensel, Marc Steven Humphries, Matthias Zabel, David Sebag, Annette Hahn, and Enno Schefuß
Biogeosciences, 19, 2881–2902, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2881-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2881-2022, 2022
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We investigated organic matter (OM) and plant-wax-derived biomarkers in sediments and plants along the Mkhuze River to constrain OM's origin and transport pathways within South Africa's largest freshwater wetland. Presently, it efficiently captures OM, so neither transport from upstream areas nor export from the swamp occurs. Thus, we emphasize that such geomorphological features can alter OM provenance, questioning the assumption of watershed-integrated information in downstream sediments.
Petri Kiuru, Marjo Palviainen, Tiia Grönholm, Maarit Raivonen, Lukas Kohl, Vincent Gauci, Iñaki Urzainki, and Annamari Laurén
Biogeosciences, 19, 1959–1977, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1959-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1959-2022, 2022
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Peatlands are large sources of methane (CH4), and peat structure controls CH4 production and emissions. We used X-ray microtomography imaging, complex network theory methods, and pore network modeling to describe the properties of peat macropore networks and the role of macropores in CH4-related processes. We show that conditions for gas transport and CH4 production vary with depth and are affected by hysteresis, which may explain the hotspots and episodic spikes in peatland CH4 emissions.
Rey Harvey Suello, Simon Lucas Hernandez, Steven Bouillon, Jean-Philippe Belliard, Luis Dominguez-Granda, Marijn Van de Broek, Andrea Mishell Rosado Moncayo, John Ramos Veliz, Karem Pollette Ramirez, Gerard Govers, and Stijn Temmerman
Biogeosciences, 19, 1571–1585, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1571-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1571-2022, 2022
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This research shows indications that the age of the mangrove forest and its position along a deltaic gradient (upstream–downstream) play a vital role in the amount and sources of carbon stored in the mangrove sediments. Our findings also imply that carbon capture by the mangrove ecosystem itself contributes partly but relatively little to long-term sediment organic carbon storage. This finding is particularly relevant for budgeting the potential of mangrove ecosystems to mitigate climate change.
Hao Tang, Susanne Liebner, Svenja Reents, Stefanie Nolte, Kai Jensen, Fabian Horn, and Peter Mueller
Biogeosciences, 18, 6133–6146, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6133-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6133-2021, 2021
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We examined if sea-level rise and plant genotype interact to affect soil microbial functioning in a mesocosm experiment using two genotypes of a dominant salt-marsh grass characterized by differences in flooding sensitivity. Larger variability in microbial community structure, enzyme activity, and litter breakdown in soils with the more sensitive genotype supports our hypothesis that effects of climate change on soil microbial functioning can be controlled by plant intraspecific adaptations.
Naima Iram, Emad Kavehei, Damien T. Maher, Stuart E. Bunn, Mehran Rezaei Rashti, Bahareh Shahrabi Farahani, and Maria Fernanda Adame
Biogeosciences, 18, 5085–5096, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5085-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5085-2021, 2021
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Greenhouse gas emissions were measured and compared from natural coastal wetlands and their converted agricultural lands across annual seasonal cycles in tropical Australia. Ponded pastures emitted ~ 200-fold-higher methane than any other tested land use type, suggesting the highest greenhouse gas mitigation potential and financial incentives by the restoration of ponded pastures to natural coastal wetlands.
Pavel Alekseychik, Aino Korrensalo, Ivan Mammarella, Samuli Launiainen, Eeva-Stiina Tuittila, Ilkka Korpela, and Timo Vesala
Biogeosciences, 18, 4681–4704, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4681-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4681-2021, 2021
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Bogs of northern Eurasia represent a major type of peatland ecosystem and contain vast amounts of carbon, but carbon balance monitoring studies on bogs are scarce. The current project explores 6 years of carbon balance data obtained using the state-of-the-art eddy-covariance technique at a Finnish bog Siikaneva. The results reveal relatively low interannual variability indicative of ecosystem resilience to both cool and hot summers and provide new insights into the seasonal course of C fluxes.
Timea Katona, Benjamin Silas Gilfedder, Sven Frei, Matthias Bücker, and Adrian Flores-Orozco
Biogeosciences, 18, 4039–4058, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4039-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4039-2021, 2021
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We used electrical geophysical methods to map variations in the rates of microbial activity within a wetland. Our results show that the highest electrical conductive and capacitive properties relate to the highest concentrations of phosphates, carbon, and iron; thus, we can use them to characterize the geometry of the biogeochemically active areas or hotspots.
Jurek Müller and Fortunat Joos
Biogeosciences, 18, 3657–3687, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3657-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3657-2021, 2021
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We present long-term projections of global peatland area and carbon with a continuous transient history since the Last Glacial Maximum. Our novel results show that large parts of today’s northern peatlands are at risk from past and future climate change, with larger emissions clearly connected to larger risks. The study includes comparisons between different emission and land-use scenarios, driver attribution through factorial simulations, and assessments of uncertainty from climate forcing.
Lianlian Zhu, Zhengmiao Deng, Yonghong Xie, Xu Li, Feng Li, Xinsheng Chen, Yeai Zou, Chengyi Zhang, and Wei Wang
Biogeosciences, 18, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1-2021, 2021
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We conducted a Carex brevicuspis leaf litter input experiment to clarify the intrinsic factors controlling litter decomposition and quantify its contribution to the soil organic carbon pool at different water levels. Our results revealed that the water level in natural wetlands influenced litter decomposition mainly by leaching and microbial activity, by extension, and affected the wetland surface carbon pool.
Robert J. Parker, Chris Wilson, A. Anthony Bloom, Edward Comyn-Platt, Garry Hayman, Joe McNorton, Hartmut Boesch, and Martyn P. Chipperfield
Biogeosciences, 17, 5669–5691, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5669-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5669-2020, 2020
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Wetlands contribute the largest uncertainty to the atmospheric methane budget. WetCHARTs is a simple, data-driven model that estimates wetland emissions using observations of precipitation and temperature. We perform the first detailed evaluation of WetCHARTs against satellite data and find it performs well in reproducing the observed wetland methane seasonal cycle for the majority of wetland regions. In regions where it performs poorly, we highlight incorrect wetland extent as a key reason.
Jurek Müller and Fortunat Joos
Biogeosciences, 17, 5285–5308, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5285-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5285-2020, 2020
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We present an in-depth model analysis of transient peatland area and carbon dynamics over the last 22 000 years. Our novel results show that the consideration of both gross positive and negative area changes are necessary to understand the transient evolution of peatlands and their net effect on atmospheric carbon. The study includes the attributions to drivers through factorial simulations, assessments of uncertainty from climate forcing, and determination of the global net carbon balance.
Lilli Zeh, Marie Theresa Igel, Judith Schellekens, Juul Limpens, Luca Bragazza, and Karsten Kalbitz
Biogeosciences, 17, 4797–4813, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4797-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4797-2020, 2020
Jérémy Guilhen, Ahmad Al Bitar, Sabine Sauvage, Marie Parrens, Jean-Michel Martinez, Gwenael Abril, Patricia Moreira-Turcq, and José-Miguel Sánchez-Pérez
Biogeosciences, 17, 4297–4311, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4297-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4297-2020, 2020
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The quantity of greenhouse gases (GHGs) released to the atmosphere by human industries and agriculture, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O), has been constantly increasing for the last few decades.
This work develops a methodology which makes consistent both satellite observations and modelling of the Amazon basin to identify and quantify the role of wetlands in GHG emissions. We showed that these areas produce non-negligible emissions and are linked to land use.
Thomas Rosset, Stéphane Binet, Jean-Marc Antoine, Emilie Lerigoleur, François Rigal, and Laure Gandois
Biogeosciences, 17, 3705–3722, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3705-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3705-2020, 2020
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Peatlands export a large amount of DOC through inland waters. This study aims at identifying the mechanisms controlling the DOC concentration at the outlet of two mountainous peatlands in the French Pyrenees. Peat water temperature and water table dynamics are shown to drive seasonal- and event-scale DOC concentration variation. According to water recession times, peatlands appear as complexes of different hydrological and biogeochemical units supplying inland waters at different rates.
David Holl, Eva-Maria Pfeiffer, and Lars Kutzbach
Biogeosciences, 17, 2853–2874, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2853-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2853-2020, 2020
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We measured greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes at a bog site in northwestern Germany that has been heavily degraded by peat mining. During the 2-year investigation period, half of the area was still being mined, whereas the remaining half had been rewetted shortly before. We could therefore estimate the impact of rewetting on GHG flux dynamics. Rewetting had a considerable effect on the annual GHG balance and led to increased (up to 84 %) methane and decreased (up to 40 %) carbon dioxide release.
Jacob S. Diamond, Daniel L. McLaughlin, Robert A. Slesak, and Atticus Stovall
Biogeosciences, 17, 901–915, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-901-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-901-2020, 2020
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Many wetland systems exhibit lumpy, or uneven, soil surfaces where higher points are called hummocks and lower points are called hollows. We found that, while hummocks extended only ~ 20 cm above hollow surfaces, they exhibited distinct plant communities, plant growth, and soil properties. Differences between hummocks and hollows were the greatest in wetter sites, supporting the hypothesis that plants create and maintain their own hummocks in response to saturated soil conditions.
Terhi Riutta, Aino Korrensalo, Anna M. Laine, Jukka Laine, and Eeva-Stiina Tuittila
Biogeosciences, 17, 727–740, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-727-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-727-2020, 2020
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We studied the role of plant species groups in peatland methane fluxes under natural conditions and lowered water level. At a natural water level, sedges and mosses increased the fluxes. At a lower water level, the impact of plant groups on the fluxes was small. Only at a high water level did vegetation regulate the fluxes. The results are relevant for assessing peatland methane fluxes in a changing climate, as peatland water level and vegetation are predicted to change.
M. Graham Clark, Elyn R. Humphreys, and Sean K. Carey
Biogeosciences, 17, 667–682, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-667-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-667-2020, 2020
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Natural and restored wetlands typically emit methane to the atmosphere. However, we found that a wetland constructed after oil sand mining in boreal Canada using organic soils from local peatlands had negligible emissions of methane in its first 3 years. Methane production was likely suppressed due to an abundance of alternate inorganic electron acceptors. Methane emissions may increase in the future if the alternate electron acceptors continue to decrease.
Hendrik Reuter, Julia Gensel, Marcus Elvert, and Dominik Zak
Biogeosciences, 17, 499–514, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-499-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-499-2020, 2020
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Using infrared spectroscopy, we developed a routine to disentangle microbial nitrogen (N) and plant N in decomposed litter. In a decomposition experiment in three wetland soils, this routine revealed preferential protein depolymerization as a decomposition-site-dependent parameter, unaffected by variations in initial litter N content. In Sphagnum peat, preferential protein depolymerization led to a N depletion of still-unprocessed litter tissue, i.e., a gradual loss of litter quality.
Kevan J. Minick, Bhaskar Mitra, Asko Noormets, and John S. King
Biogeosciences, 16, 4671–4686, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-4671-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-4671-2019, 2019
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Sea level rise alters hydrology and vegetation in coastal wetlands. We studied effects of freshwater, saltwater, and wood on soil microbial activity in a freshwater forested wetland. Saltwater reduced CO2/CH4 production compared to freshwater, suggesting large changes in greenhouse gas production and microbial activity are possible due to saltwater intrusion into freshwater wetlands but that the availability of C in the form of dead wood (as forests transition to marsh) may alter the magnitude.
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Short summary
Biogeochemical soil parameters are studied to detect peatland degradation along a land use gradient (intensive, extensive, near-natural). Stable carbon isotopes, radiocarbon ages and ash content confirm peat growth in the near-natural bog but also indicate previous degradation. When the bog is managed extensively or intensively as grassland, all parameters indicate degradation and substantial C loss of the order of 18.8 to 42.9 kg C m-2.
Biogeochemical soil parameters are studied to detect peatland degradation along a land use...
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