bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating mixed layer nitrate in the North Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Steinhoff T. , Friedrich T. , Hartman S. E. , Oschlies A. , Wallace D. W. R. , Körtzinger A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Here we present an equation for the estimation of nitrate in surface waters of the North Atlantic Ocean (40° N to 52° N, 10° W to 60° W). The equation was derived by multiple linear regression (MLR) from nitrate, sea surface temperature (SST) observational data and model mixed layer depth (MLD) data. The observational data were taken from merchant vessels that have crossed the North Atlantic on a regular basis in 2002/2003 and from 2005 to present. It is important to find a robust and realistic esitmate of MLD because the deepening of the mixed layer is crucial for nitrate supply to the surface. We compared model data from two models (FOAM and Mercator) with MLD derived from float data (using various criteria). The Mercator model gives a MLD estimate that is close to the MLD derived from floats. MLR was established using SST, MLD from Mercator, time and latitude as predictors. Additionally a neural network was trained with the same dataset and the results were validated against both model data as a "ground truth" and an independent observational dataset. This validation produced RMS errors of the same order for MLR and the neural network approach. We conclude that it is possible to estimate nitrate concentrations with an uncertainty of ±1.5 μmol L−1 in the North Atlantic.
Impact of meteorological anomalies in the 2003 summer on gross primary productivity in East Asia
Authors: Saigusa N. , Ichii K. , Murakami H. , Hirata R. , Asanuma J. , Den H. , Han S.-J. , Ide R. , Li S.-G. , Ohta T. , Sasai T. , Wang S.-Q. , Yu G.-R.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Northern Eurasia experienced anomalous weather conditions in the 2003 summer. We examined how forest ecosystems responded to the meteorological anomalies during the period using the dataset collected at flux monitoring sites in Asia, including a boreal forest in Mongolia, temperate forests in China and Japan, and a sub-tropical forest in China, as well as the dataset from satellite remote sensing. From July to August 2003, an active rain band stayed in the mid-latitude in East Asia for an unusually long period. Under the influence of the rain band, the gross primary production (GPP) of temperate forests was 20–30% lower in the 2003 summer than in other years due to significant reduction in the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). The GPP of a cool-temperate forest in the north of the rain band was slightly enhanced by the higher PPFD; however, the GPP of a sub-tropical forest located in the south of the rain band was reduced by drought stress due to extremely hot and dry conditions. The correlation coefficients for the year-to-year changes in the PPFD and GPP during mid-summer were calculated, and the spatial distribution was examined. The spatial pattern of the PPFD was calculated by satellite data, and that of the GPP was estimated by a regression-type model, which was trained and tested by ground observation data. The correlation was positive in the mid- and high-latitudes since light was an essential factor of the summer GPP. On the other hand, a negative correlation appeared in the lower latitudes, suggesting that the water limitation was much more important than the PPFD in the region. Our study illustrated that the integration of flux data from wide areas by combining satellite remote sensing data can help us gain an understanding of the ecosystem responses to large-scale meteorological phenomena.
Oxygen, carbon, and nutrients in the oligotrophic eastern subtropical North Atlantic
Authors: Kähler P. , Oschlies A. , Dietze H. , Koeve W.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The Beta Triangle, a region of the oligotrophic subtropical eastern North Atlantic Ocean, is notorious for its enigmatic oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen balances, in which nutrient supply is said to explain only a fraction of production necessary for estimated carbon export. Rates of dissolved organic carbon accumulation and dissolved organic nitrogen utilization in surface water and an assessment of oxygen utilized, organic matter consumed, and nitrate and phosphate regenerated in subsurface water, show that conventional production estimates miss substantial shares of biotic production. The shallow export of total organic carbon, predominantly dissolved (DOC), by subduction is responsible for about 50–70% of apparent oxygen utilization in subsurface water between the base of the surface layer at ca. 140 m and ca. 195 m depth, but it is insignificant below. Additionally, there is an estimated accumulation of 1.0 to 1.75 mol DOC m−2 a−1 in surface water. Including DOC dynamics in its carbon balance reveals the surface of this ultra-oligotrophic part of the ocean to be autotrophic. Subsurface excess nitrogen (DINxs) regeneration implies the utilization of nitrogen in surface water in addition to new nitrate supplied from below. Total organic nitrogen (almost exclusively dissolved, DON) is consumed in the surface layer at a rate estimated at 0.13 to 0.23 mol m−2 a−1. There is no variation in dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) in the same direction. DON utilization thus contributes to the pronounced subsurface DINxs signature. DOC export and accumulation are important in the carbon balance in surface and near-surface water. DON utilization and, probably, N2 fixation contribute significant amounts to the nitrogen supply of surface water. These processes can close part of the enigmatic carbon and nitrogen balances in the Beta Triangle. There are, however, no comparable processes which can explain the equally enigmatic situation concerning phosphorus supply in this area.
Vegetation and proximity to the river control amorphous silica storage in a riparian wetland (Biebrza National Park, Poland)
Authors: Struyf E. , Opdekamp W. , Backx H. , Jacobs S. , Conley D. J. , Meire P.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Wetlands can modify and control nutrient fluxes between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, yet little is known of their potential as biological buffers and sinks in the biogeochemical silica cycle. We investigated the storage of amorphous silica (ASi) in a central-European riparian wetland. The variation in storage of ASi in the soil of an undisturbed wetland was significantly controlled by two factors: dominance of sedges and grasses and distance to the river (combined R2=78%). Highest ASi storage was found near the river and in sites with a dominance of grasses and sedges, plants which are well known to accumulate ASi. The management practice of mowing reduced the amount of variation attributed to both factors (R2=51%). Although ASi concentrations in soils were low (between 0.1 and 1% of soil dry weight), ASi controlled the availability of dissolved silica (DSi) in the porewater, and thus potentially the exchange of DSi with the nearby river system through both diffusive and advective fluxes. A depth gradient in ASi concentrations, with lower ASi in the deeper layers, indicates dissolution. Our results show that storage and recycling of ASi in wetland ecosystems can differ significantly on small spatial scales. Human management interferes with the natural control mechanisms. Our study demonstrates that wetlands have the potential to modify the fluxes of both DSi and ASi along the land-ocean continuum and supports the hypothesis that wetlands are important ecosystems in the biogeochemical cycling of silica.
Sensitivity analysis of a wetland methane emission model based on temperate and Arctic wetland sites
Authors: van Huissteden J. , Petrescu A. M. R. , Hendriks D. M. D. , Rebel K. T.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Modelling of wetland CH4 fluxes using wetland soil emission models is used to determine the size of this natural source of CH4 emission on local to global scale. Most process models of CH4 formation and soil-atmosphere CH4 transport processes operate on a plot scale. For large scale emission modelling (regional to global scale) upscaling of this type of model requires thorough analysis of the sensitivity of these models to parameter uncertainty. We applied the GLUE (Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Analysis) methodology to a well-known CH4 emission model, the Walter-Heimann model, as implemented in the PEATLAND-VU model. The model is tested using data from two temperate wetland sites and one arctic site. The tests include experiments with different objective functions, which quantify the fit of the model results to the data. The results indicate that the model 1) in most cases is capable of estimating CH4 fluxes better than an estimate based on the data avarage, but does not clearly outcompete a regression model based on local data; 2) is capable of reproducing larger scale (seasonal) temporal variability in the data, but not the small-scale (daily) temporal variability; 3) is not strongly sensitive to soil parameters, 4) is sensitive to parameters determining CH4 transport and oxidation in vegetation, and the temperature sensitivity of the microbial population. The GLUE method also allowed testing of several smaller modifications of the original model. We conclude that upscaling of this plot-based wetland CH4 emission model is feasible, but considerable improvements of wetland CH4 modelling will result from improvement of wetland vegetation data.
Information content of incubation experiments for inverse estimation of pools sizes in the Rothamsted carbon model: a Bayesian approach
Authors: Scharnagl B. , Vrugt J. A. , Vereecken H. , Herbst M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Turnover of soil organic matter (SOM) is usually described with multi-compartment models. A model compartment (or pool) contains all carbon compounds with similar functional properties, such as decomposition rate and partitioning of decomposition products. These functionally defined carbon pools do not necessarily correspond to measurable (SOC) fractions in real practice. This not only impairs our ability to rigorously evaluate SOC models, but also makes it difficult to derive accurate initial states. In this study, we test the usefulness and applicability of inverse modeling to derive the various carbon pool sizes in the Rothamsted carbon model (ROTHC) using observed mineralization rate data during incubation of soil samples in the laboratory. In the last decade, inverse modeling has found widespread application and use for environmental model calibration, but this methodology has not yet been tested for assessing carbon pools in multi-compartment SOC models. To appropriately consider data and model uncertainty we consider a Bayesian approach using the recently developed DiffeRential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis (DREAM) algorithm. This Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) scheme derives the posterior probability density distribution of the initial pool sizes at the start of incubation from measured mineralization rates. Our results show that measured mineralization rates generally provide sufficient information to reliably estimate the sizes of all active carbon pools in the ROTHC model. However, for soils with slow and intermediate carbon turnover an excessively long incubation time is required to appropriately constrain all carbon pools. The explicit use of prior information on microbial biomass provides a way forward to significantly reduce uncertainty and required duration of incubation. Our illustrative case studies show how Bayesian inverse modeling can be used to provide important insights into the information content of incubation experiments for assessing SOC turnover and dynamics.
Dynamics and distribution of natural and human-caused coastal hypoxia
Authors: Rabalais N. N. , Díaz R. J. , Levin L. A. , Turner R. E. , Gilbert D. , Zhang J.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Water masses can become undersaturated with oxygen when natural processes alone or in combination with anthropogenic processes create enough carbon that is aerobically decomposed faster than the rate of oxygen re-aeration. The dominant natural processes usually involved are photosynthetic carbon production and microbial respiration. The re-aeration rate is indirectly related to its isolation from the surface layer. Hypoxic water masses (<2 mg L−1, or approximately 30% saturation) can form, therefore, under "natural" conditions, and is more likely to occur in marine systems when the water residence time is extended, water exchange and ventilation is minimal, stratification occurs, and where carbon production and export to the bottom layer are relatively high. Hypoxia has occurred throughout geological time and naturally occurs in oxygen minimum zones, deep basins, eastern boundary upwelling systems and fjords. Hypoxia development and continuation in many areas of the world's coastal ocean is accelerated by human activities, especially where nutrient loading increased in the Anthropocene. This higher loading set in motion a cascading set of events related to eutrophication. Nutrient loading is likely to increase further as population growth and resource intensification rises, especially in developing countries dependent on crops using fertilizers, and it is likely that the occurrence and persistence of hypoxia will be even more widespread and have more impacts than presently observed. Climate change will further complicate the causative factors.
Terrestrial carbon sinks in the Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado region predicted from MODIS satellite data and ecosystem modeling
Authors: Potter C. , Klooster S. , Huete A. , Genovese V. , Bustamante M. , Guimaraes Ferreira L. , Cosme de Oliveira Junior R. , Zepp R.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. A simulation model based on satellite observations of monthly vegetation cover from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was used to estimate monthly carbon fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems of Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado regions over the period 2000–2004. Net ecosystem production (NEP) flux for atmospheric CO2 in the region for these years was estimated. Consistently high carbon sink fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems on a yearly basis were found in the western portions of the states of Acre and Rondônia and the northern portions of the state of Pará. These areas were not significantly impacted by the 2002–2003 El Niño event in terms of net annual carbon gains. Areas of the region that show periodically high carbon source fluxes from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere on yearly basis were found throughout the state of Maranhão and the southern portions of the state of Amazonas. As demonstrated though tower site comparisons, NEP modeled with monthly MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) inputs closely resembles the measured seasonal carbon fluxes at the LBA Tapajos tower site. Modeling results suggest that the capacity for use of MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) data to predict seasonal uptake rates of CO2 in Amazon forests and Cerrado woodlands is strong.
The annual ammonia budget of fertilised cut grassland – Part 1: Micrometeorological flux measurements and emissions after slurry application
Authors: Spirig C. , Flechard C. R. , Ammann C. , Neftel A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Two commercial ammonia (NH3) analysers were customised to allow continuous measurements of vertical concentration gradients. The gradients were used to derive ammonia exchange fluxes above a managed grassland site at Oensingen (Switzerland) by application of the aerodynamic gradient method (AGM). The semi-continuous measurements during 1.5 years covered five complete growth-cut cycles and included six applications of liquid cattle slurry. The average accuracy of the flux measurements during conditions of well established turbulence was 20% and the detection limit 10 ng NH3 m−2 s−1, hence sufficient for studying the background exchange of NH3. Quantifying emissions after slurry applications required the application of elaborate interpolations because of difficulties capturing the initial emissions during manure spreading in some parts of the experiments. The emissions were also calculated with a mass balance method (MBM) yielding similar fluxes. NH3 losses after slurry application expressed as percentage of emitted nitrogen versus applied total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) varied between 4 and 19%, which is lower than typical values for broadspreading of liquid manure. The comparatively low emission factors appear to be a consequence of the rather thin slurry applied here and soil properties favouring ammonium adsorption.
The annual ammonia budget of fertilised cut grassland – Part 2: Seasonal variations and compensation point modeling
Authors: Flechard C. R. , Spirig C. , Neftel A. , Ammann C.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The net annual NH3 exchange budget of a fertilised, cut grassland in Central Switzerland is presented. The observation-based budget was computed from semi-continuous micrometeorological fluxes over a time period of 16 months and using a process-based gap-filling procedure. The data for emission peak events following the application of cattle slurry and for background exchange were analysed separately to distinguish short-term perturbations from longer-term ecosystem functioning. A canopy compensation point model of background exchange is parameterised on the basis of measured data and applied for the purposes of gap-filling. The data show that, outside fertilisation events, grassland behaves as a net sink for atmospheric NH3 with an annual dry deposition flux of −3.0 kg N ha−1 yr−1, although small NH3 emissions by the canopy were measured in dry daytime conditions. The median Γs ratio in the apoplast (=[NH4+]/[H+]) estimated from micrometeorological measurements was 620, equivalent to a stomatal compensation point of 1.3 μg NH3 m−3 at 15°C. Non-stomatal resistance to deposition Rw was shown to increase with temperature and decrease with surface relative humidity, and Rw values were among the highest published for European grasslands, consistent with a relatively high ratio of NH3 to acid gases in the boundary layer at this site. Since the gross annual NH3 emission by slurry spreading was of the order of +20 kg N ha−1 yr−1, the fertilised grassland was a net NH3 source of +17 kg N ha−1 yr−1. A comparison with the few other measurement-based budget values from the literature reveals considerable variability, demonstrating both the influence of soil, climate, management and grassland type on the NH3 budget and the difficulty of scaling up to the national level.
Needle age-related and seasonal photosynthetic capacity variation is negligible for modelling yearly gas exchange of a temperate Scots pine forest
Authors: Op de Beeck M. , Gielen B. , Jonckheere I. , Samson R. , Janssens I. A. , Ceulemans R.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. In this study, we quantified the predictive accuracy loss involved with omitting photosynthetic capacity variation for a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stand in Flanders, Belgium. Over the course of one phenological year, we measured the photosynthetic capacity parameters maximum carboxylation capacity at 25°C (Vm25) and maximum electron transport capacity at 25°C (Jm25) and the Leaf Area Index (LAI) of different-aged needles in the upper and lower canopy. We used these measurements as input for a process-based multi-layer canopy model with the objective to quantify the difference in yearly Gross Ecosystem Productivity (GEP) and canopy transpiration (Ecan) simulated under scenarios in which the observed needle age-related and/or seasonal variation of Vm25 and Jm25 was omitted. We compared simulated GEP with estimations obtained from eddy covariance measurements. Additionally, we measured summer needle N content to investigate the relationship between photosynthetic capacity parameters and needle N content along different needle ages. Results show that Vm25 and Jm25 were higher in current-year than in one-year-old needles. A significant seasonality effect was found on Vm25, but not on Jm25. Summer needle N content was considerably lower in current-year than in one-year-old needles. As a result, the correlations between Vm25 and needle N content and Jm25 and needle N content were negative and non-significant, respectively. Some explanations for these odd correlations were brought forward. Measured yearly GEP was overestimated by the canopy model under all scenarios. The inclusion and omission of the observed needle-age related Vm25 and Jm25 variation in the model simulations led to statistically significant but ecologically irrelevant differences in simulated yearly GEP and Ecan. Omitting seasonal variation did not yield significant simulation differences. Our results indicate that intensive photosynthetic capacity measurements over the full growing season and separate simulation of needle age classes were no prerequisites for accurate simulations of yearly canopy gas exchange. This is true, at least, for the studied stand, which has a very sparse canopy and is exposed to high N deposition and, hence, is not fully representative for temperate Scots pine stands. Nevertheless, we believe well-parameterized process-based canopy models – as applied in this study – are a useful tool to quantify losses of predictive accuracy involved with canopy simplification in modelling.
Effect of CO2 on the properties and sinking velocity of aggregates of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi
Authors: Biermann A. , Engel A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Coccolithophores play an important role in organic matter export due to their production of the mineral calcite that can act as ballast. Recent studies indicated that calcification in coccolithophores may be affected by changes in seawater carbonate chemistry. We investigated the influence of CO2 on the aggregation and sinking behaviour of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (PML B92/11) during a laboratory experiment. The coccolithophores were grown under low (~180 μatm), medium (~380 μatm), and high (~750 μatm) CO2 conditions. Aggregation of the cells was promoted using roller tables. Size and settling velocity of aggregates were determined during the incubation using video image analysis. The results show that CO2 induced changes in the inorganic carbon to organic carbon ratio (PIC/POC) influence the porosity and hence the sinking velocity of aggregates of Emiliania huxleyi. Average sinking velocity was highest for low CO2 aggregates (~1292 m d−1) that also had the highest PIC/POC ratio. Lowest PIC/POC ratios and lowest sinking velocity (~366 m d−1) at comparable sizes were observed for aggregates of the high CO2 treatment. Aggregates of the high CO2 treatment showed an excess density about one order of magnitude lower (~4.2×10−4 g cm−3) when compared to aggregates from the medium and low CO2 treatments (~1.7×10−3 g cm−3). Thus, the amount of calcite in aggregates is crucial for the degree of ballasting effect. In the high CO2 treatment, aggregates with lower calcite content had higher bacterial abundance, suggesting enhanced bacterial degradation. Thus, our findings indicate that a CO2 induced reduction of calcite content aggregates could affect the vertical export of organic matter in the ocean, particularly in areas dominated by coccolithophores blooms.
Atmospheric deposition of nutrients and excess N formation in the North Atlantic
Authors: Zamora L. M. , Landolfi A. , Oschlies A. , Hansell D. , Dietze H. , Dentener F.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen (N) to the atmosphere have been strongly increasing during the last century, leading to greater atmospheric N deposition to the oceans. The North Atlantic subtropical gyre (NASTG) is particularly impacted. Here, upwind sources of anthropogenic N from North American and European sources have raised atmospheric N deposition to rates comparable with N2 fixation in the gyre. However, the biogeochemical fate of the deposited N is unclear because there is no detectable accumulation in the surface waters. Most likely, deposited N accumulates in the main thermocline instead, where there is a globally unique pool of N in excess of the canonical Redfield ratio of 16 N:1 phosphorus (P). To investigate this depth zone as a sink for atmospheric N, we used a biogeochemical ocean transport model and year 2000 nutrient deposition data. We examined the maximum effects of three mechanisms that may transport excess N from the ocean surface to the main thermocline: physical transport, preferential P remineralization of sinking particles, and nutrient uptake and export by phytoplankton at higher than Redfield N:P ratios. Our results indicate that atmospheric deposition may contribute 13–19% of the annual excess N input to the main thermocline. Modeled nutrient distributions in the NASTG were comparable to observations only when non-Redfield dynamics were invoked. Preferential P remineralization could not produce realistic results on its own; if it is an important contributor to ocean biogeochemistry, it must co-occur with N2 fixation. The results suggest that: 1) the main thermocline is an important sink for anthropogenic N deposition, 2) non-Redfield surface dynamics determine the biogeochemical fate of atmospherically deposited nutrients, and 3) atmospheric N accumulation in the main thermocline has long term impacts on surface ocean biology.
A global model of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles for the terrestrial biosphere
Authors: Wang Y. P. , Law R. M. , Pak B.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Carbon storage by many terrestrial ecosystems can be limited by nutrients, predominantly nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P), in additional to other environmental constraints, water, light and temperature. However the spatial distribution and the extent of both N and P limitation at global scale have not been quantified. Here we have developed a global model of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles for the terrestrial biosphere. Model estimates of steady state C and N pool sizes and major fluxes between plant, litter and soil pools, under present climate conditions, agree well with various independent estimates. The total amount of C in the terrestrial biosphere is 2526 Gt C, and the C fractions in plant, litter and soil organic matter are 21, 6 and 73%. The total amount of N is 124 Gt N, with about 94% stored in the soil, 5% in the plant live biomass, and 1% in litter. We found that the estimates of total soil P and its partitioning into different pools in soil are quite sensitive to biochemical P mineralization that has not been included in any other global models previously. The total amount of P is 26 Gt P in the terrestrial biosphere, 17% of which is stored in the soil organic matter if biochemical P mineralization is modelled, or 40 Gt P, with 60% in soil organic matter, otherwise. This model was used to derive the global distribution of N or P limitation on the productivity of terrestrial ecosystems. Our model predicts that the net primary productivity of most tropical evergreen broadleaf forests and tropical savannahs is reduced by about 20% on average by P limitation, and most of the remaining biomes are N limited; N limitation is strongest in high latitude deciduous needle leaf forests, and reduces its net primary productivity by up to 40% under present conditions.
Effects of grazing on leaf traits and ecosystem functioning in Inner Mongolia grasslands: scaling from species to community
Authors: Zheng S. X. , Ren H. Y. , Lan Z. C. , Li W. H. , Bai Y. F.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. More attention has focused on using some easily measured plant functional traits to predict grazing influence on plant growth and ecosystem functioning. However, there has been much controversy on leaf traits response to grazing, thus more research should be conducted at the species level. Here we investigated the leaf area, leaf mass and specific leaf area (SLA) of 263 species in eight grassland communities along a soil moisture gradient in the Xilin River Basin, a semiarid grassland of northern China, to explore the grazing effects on ecosystem functioning. Results demonstrated that grazing decreased the leaf area and leaf mass in more than 56% of species in the Xilin River Basin, however, responses of SLA to grazing varied widely between species. Grazing increased SLA in 38.4% of species, decreased SLA in 31.3% of species and had no effect on 30.3% of species. Annuals and biennials generally developed high SLA as grazing tolerance traits, while perennial graminoids developed low SLA as grazing avoidance traits. Considering the water ecotypes, the SLA-increased and SLA-unchanged species were dominated by hygrophytes and mesophytes, while the SLA-decreased species were dominated by xerophytes. At the community level, grazing decreased the mean leaf area index (LAI) of six communities by 16.9%, leaf biomass by 35.2% and standing aboveground biomass (SAB) by 35.0% in the Xilin River Basin, indicating that overgrazing greatly decreased the ecosystem functioning in the semi-arid grassland of northern China. Soil properties, especially fielding holding capacity and soil organic carbon and total nitrogen could mediate the negative grazing impacts. The results suggest SLA is a better leaf trait to reveal plant adaptability to grazing. Our findings have practical implications for range management and productivity maintenance in the semiarid grassland, and it is feasible to take some measures such as ameliorating soil water and nutrient availabilities to prevent grassland degradation.
Shadow analysis of soil surface roughness compared to the chain set method and direct measurement of micro-relief
Authors: García Moreno R. , Díaz Álvarez M. C. , Tarquis A. M. , Paz González A. , Saa Requejo A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Soil surface roughness (SSR) is an excellent indicator of soil susceptibility to wind and water erosion and plays an important role in the development and the maintenance of soil biota. Several methods have been developed to characterise SSR based on different methods of acquiring data. Because the main problems related to these methods involve the use and handling of equipment in the field, the present study aims to fill the need for a method for measuring SSR that is more reliable, low-cost and convenient in the field than traditional field methods. Shadow analysis, which interprets micro-topographic shadows, is based on the principle that there is a direct relationship between the soil surface roughness and the shadows cast by soil structures under fixed sunlight conditions. SSR was calculated with shadows analysis in the laboratory using hemispheres of different diameter with a diverse distribution of known altitudes and a surface area of 1 m2. Data obtained from the shadow analysis were compared to data obtained with the chain method and simulation of the micro-relief. The results show a relationship among the SSR calculated using the different methods. To further improve the method, shadow analysis was used to measure the SSR in a sandy clay loam field using different tillage tools (chisel, tiller and roller) and in a control of 4 m2 surface plots divided into subplots of 1 m2. The measurements were compared to the data obtained using the chain set and pin meter methods. The SSR measured was the highest when the chisel was used, followed by the tiller and the roller, and finally the control, for each of the three methods. Shadow analysis is shown to be a reliable method that does not disturb the measured surface, is easy to handle and analyse, and shortens the time involved in field operations by a factor ranging from 4 to 20 compared to well known techniques such as the chain set and pin meter methods.
A transfer function for the prediction of gas hydrate inventories in marine sediments
Authors: Marquardt M. , Hensen C. , Piñero E. , Wallmann K. , Haeckel M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. A simple prognostic tool for gas hydrate (GH) quantification in marine sediments is presented based on a diagenetic transport-reaction model approach. One of the most crucial factors for the application of diagenetic models is the accurate formulation of microbial degradation rates of particulate organic carbon (POC) and the coupled biogenic CH4 formation. Wallmann et al. (2006) suggested a kinetic formulation considering the ageing effects of POC and accumulation of reaction products (CH4, CO2) in the pore water. This model is applied to data sets of several ODP sites in order to test its general validity. Based on a thorough parameter analysis considering a wide range of environmental conditions, the POC accumulation rate (POCar in g/cm2/yr) and the thickness of the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ in m) were identified as the most important and independent controls for biogenic GH formation. Hence, depth-integrated GH inventories in marine sediments (GHI in g of CH4 per cm2 seafloor area) can be estimated as: GHI = a · POCar · GHSZb · exp (−GHSZc/POCar/d) + e with a = 0.00214, b = 1.234, c = −3.339, d = 0.3148, e = −10.265. Several tests indicate that the transfer function gives a realistic approximation of the minimum potential GH inventory of low gas flux (LGF) systems. The overall advantage of the presented function is its simplicity compared to complex numerical models: only two easily accessible parameters are needed.
Diagenetic control of nitrogen isotope ratios in Holocene sapropels and recent sediments from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Möbius J. , Lahajnar N. , Emeis K.-C.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The enhanced accumulation of organic matter in Eastern Mediterranean sapropels and their unusually depleted δ15N values have been attributed to either enhanced nutrient availability which led to elevated primary production and carbon sequestration or to enhanced organic matter preservation under anoxic conditions. In order to evaluate these two hypothesis we have determined Ba/Al ratios, amino acid composition, N and organic C concentrations and δ15N on sinking particles, surface sediments, eight spatially distributed core records of the youngest sapropel S1 (10-6 ka) and older sapropels (S5, S6) from two locations. These data suggest that (i) temporal and spatial variations in δ15N of sedimentary N are driven by different degrees of diagenesis at different sites rather than by changes in N-sources or primary productivity and (ii) that present day TOC export production would suffice to create a sapropel like S1 under conditions of deep-water anoxia. This implies that both enhanced TOC accumulation and δ15N depletion in sapropels were due to the absence of oxygen in deep waters. Thus preservation plays a major role for the accumulation of organic-rich sediments casting doubt the need of enhanced primary production for sapropel formation.
Differences in community composition of bacteria in four deep ice sheets in western China
Authors: An L. , Chen Y. , Xiang S.-R. , Shang T.-C. , -De Tian L.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Microbial community patterns vary in glaciers world wide, presenting unique responses to global climatic and environmental changes. Four bacterial clone libraries were established by 16S rRNA gene amplification from four ice layers along the 42-m-long ice core MuztB drilled from the Muztag Ata Glacier. A total of 152 bacterial sequences obtained from the ice core MuztB were phylogenetically compared with the 71 previously reported sequences from three ice cores extracted from ice caps Malan, Dunde, and Puruoganri. The six functional clusters Flavisolibacter, Flexibacter (Bacteroidetes), Acinetobacter, Enterobacter (Gammaproteobacteria), Planococcus/Anoxybacillus (Firmicutes), and Propionibacter/Luteococcus (Actinobacteria) frequently occurred along the Muztag Ata Glacier profile. Sequence analysis showed that most of the sequences from the ice core clustered with those from cold environments, and the sequences from the same glacier formed a distinct cluster. Moreover, bacterial communities from the same location or similarly aged ice formed a cluster, and were clearly separate from those from other geographically isolated glaciers. In a summary, the findings provide preliminary evidence of zone distribution of microbial community, support our hypothesis of the spatial and temporal biogeography of microorganisms in glacial ice.
Can we trust simple marine DMS parameterisations within complex climate models?
Authors: Halloran P. R. , Bell T. G. , Totterdell I. J.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Dimethylsulphide (DMS) is a globally important aerosol precurser. In 1987 Charlson and others proposed that an increase in DMS production by certain phytoplankton species in response to a warming climate could stimulate increased aerosol formation, increasing the lower-atmosphere's albedo, and promoting cooling. Despite two decades of research, the global significance of this negative climate feedback remains contentious. It is therefore imperative that schemes are developed and tested, which allow for the realistic incorporation of phytoplankton DMS production into Earth System models. Using these models we can investigate the DMS-climate feedback and reduce uncertainty surrounding projections of future climate. Here we examine two empirical DMS parameterisations within the context of an Earth System model and find them to perform marginally better than the standard DMS climatology at predicting observations from an independent global dataset. We then question whether parameterisations based on our present understanding of DMS production by phytoplankton, and simple enough to incorporate into global climate models, can be shown to enhance the future predictive capacity of those models. This is an important question to ask now, as results from increasingly complex Earth System models lead us into the 5th assessment of climate science by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Comparing observed and predicted interannual variability, we suggest that future climate projections may underestimate the magnitude of surface ocean DMS change. Unfortunately this conclusion relies on a relatively small dataset, in which observed interannual variability may be exaggerated by biases in sample collection. We therefore encourage the observational community to make repeat measurements of sea-surface DMS concentrations an important focus, and highlight areas of apparent high interannual variability where sampling might be carried out. Finally, we assess future projections from two similarly valid empirical DMS schemes, and demonstrate contrasting results. We therefore conclude that the use of empirical DMS parameterisations within simulations of future climate should be undertaken only with careful appreciation of the caveats discussed.
Continuous measurement of soil CO2 efflux in a larch forest by automated chamber and concentration gradient techniques
Authors: Liang N. , Hirano T. , Zheng Z.-M. , Tang J. , Fujinuma Y.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Winter measurements of soil CO2 effluxes are few because such measurements are difficult when the ground is snow-covered, limiting the ability of chamber systems to characterize soil CO2 effluxes accurately year-round. In this study, we used two systems for continuous measurements of soil CO2 effluxes in a larch forest in northern Japan: (1) a 16-channel automated soil chamber system with eight chambers for measuring soil CO2 efflux and eight chambers for measuring heterotrophic respiration during snow-free periods, and (2) a soil CO2 concentration gradient system used year-round, including when the ground was snow-covered. During the warm season, the gradient approach yielded systematically higher CO2 effluxes than the automated chamber technique, whereas it yielded lower CO2 effluxes during the cold season. As a result of this bias (p<0.001), the annual soil CO2 efflux estimated by the automated chamber was 959 g C m−2 (of which 57% was contributed by heterotrophic respiration), whereas the efflux estimated by the gradient approach was 1040 g C m−2. Because of the fast-response infrared gas analyzer adopted for the chamber technique, the soil CO2 efflux response to the onset of rain was detected immediately and the efflux returned to pre-rain values several hours after the rain had stopped. Rain events accounted for about 24 g C m−2 (about 2% of the annual soil CO2 efflux). The gradient system successfully measured the soil CO2 effluxes when the ground was snow-covered (9 December to 17 April), when they ranged from 0.40 to 0.70 μmol m−2 s−1. Total CO2 efflux from the snowpack estimated by the gradient technique approached 73 g C m−2, corresponding to about 7% of the annual soil CO2 efflux. The Q10 coefficient of the soil CO2 efflux showed large seasonal variation, mainly because of the large temperature sensitivity of root respiration.
Characterization of broom fibers for PRB in the remediation of aquifers contaminated by heavy metals
Authors: Fallico C. , Troisi S. , Molinari A. , Rivera M. F.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The present level of pollution, increasingly involving ground waters, constitutes a serious risk for the environment and also for human health. Therefore the remediation of saturated and unsaturated soils to remove the pollutant materials is required more and more frequently. In the present paper, the possibility of removing the specific pollutant typology constituted of heavy metals by permeable reactive barrier (PRB) from the groundwater, carried out with natural fibers, specifically with broom fibers, is investigated. Once shown the economic benefits deriving from the use of this plant, a hydraulic characterization of the broom fiber mass was performed, determining the permeability and the porosity in correspondence to different levels of compactness of the fibers. Having verified the effectiveness of these fibers for some heavy metals, the results of some experiments, carried out in the laboratory for this purpose, are shown. These experiments were carried out utilizing broom fibers obtained in different ways and, limitedly to the considered pollutants, showed the high capability of these fibers to reduce their concentrations. The best results were obtained for the broom fibers extracted by a particular chemical-physical process. Moreover, the behaviour of this fiber with time was investigated, determining the kinetic constant of degradation.
A geostatistical synthesis study of factors affecting gross primary productivity in various ecosystems of North America
Authors: Yadav V. , Mueller K. L. , Dragoni D. , Michalak A. M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. A coupled Bayesian model selection and geostatistical regression modeling approach is adopted for empirical analysis of gross primary productivity (GPP) at six AmeriFlux sites, including the Kennedy Space Center Scrub Oak, Vaira Ranch, Tonzi Ranch, Blodgett Forest, Morgan Monroe State Forest, and Harvard Forest sites. The analysis is performed at a continuum of temporal scales ranging from daily to monthly, for a period of seven years. A total of 10 covariates representing environmental stimuli and indices of plant physiology are considered in explaining variations in GPP. Similar to other statistical methods, the proposed approach estimates regression coefficients and uncertainties associated with the covariates in a selected regression model. However, unlike traditional regression methods, the presented approach also estimates the uncertainty associated with the selection of a single "best" model of GPP. In addition, the approach provides an enhanced understanding of how the importance of specific covariates changes with temporal resolutions. An examination of trends in the importance of specific covariates reveals scaling thresholds above or below which covariates become significant in explaining GPP. Results indicate that most sites (especially those with a stronger seasonal cycle) exhibit at least one prominent scaling threshold between daily to 20-day temporal scale. This demonstrates that environmental variables that explain GPP at synoptic scales are different from those that capture its seasonality. At shorter time scales, radiation, temperature, and vapor pressure deficit exert most significant influence on GPP at most examined sites. However, at coarser time scales, the importance of these covariates in explaining GPP declines. Overall, unique best models are identified at most sites at the daily scale, whereas multiple competing models are identified at larger time scales. In addition, the selected models are able to explain a larger fraction of the observed variability for sites exhibiting strong seasonality.
An inverse analysis reveals limitations of the soil-CO2 profile method to calculate CO2 production for well-structured soils
Authors: Koehler B. , Zehe E. , Corre M. D. , Veldkamp E.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Soil respiration is the second largest flux in the global carbon cycle, yet the underlying belowground process, carbon dioxide (CO2) production, is not well understood because it can not be measured in the field. CO2 production has frequently been calculated from the vertical CO2 diffusive flux divergence, known as "soil-CO2 profile method". This relatively simple method requires knowledge of soil CO2 concentration profiles and soil diffusive properties. Application of the method in a tropical lowland forest soil in Panama gave inconsistent results when using diffusion coefficients (D) calculated based on relationships with soil porosity and moisture (empirical D). Our objective was to investigate whether these inconsistencies were caused by (1) the applied interpolation and solution methods, (2) uncertainties in describing the profile of D using empirical equations, or (3) the assumptions of the soil-CO2 profile method. We show that the calculated CO2 production strongly depended on the function used to interpolate between measured CO2 concentrations. With an inverse analysis of the soil-CO2 profile method we deduce which D would be required to explain the observed CO2 concentrations, assuming the model assumptions are valid. In the top soil, this inverse D closely resembled the empirical D. In the deep soil, however, the inverse D increased sharply while the empirical D did not. This deviation between the empirical and inverse D disappeared upon conducting a constrained fit parameter optimization. A radon (Rn) mass balance model, in which diffusion was calculated based on the empirical or constrained inverse D, simulated the observed Rn profiles reasonably well. However, the CO2 concentrations which corresponded to the constrained inverse D were too small compared to the measurements, and the inverse D gave depth-constant fluxes and hence zero production in the soil CO2-profile method. We suggest that, in well-structured soils, a missing description of steady state CO2 exchange fluxes across water-filled pores causes the soil-CO2 profile method to fail. These fluxes are driven by the different diffusivities in inter- vs. intra-aggregate pores which create permanent CO2 gradients if separated by a "diffusive water barrier". We conclude that the assumptions of the soil-CO2 profile method are inaccurate for soils with pore networks which exhibit spatial separation between CO2 production and diffusion out of the soil.