bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do we miss the hot spots? – The use of very high resolution aerial photographs to quantify carbon fluxes in peatlands
Authors: Becker T. , Kutzbach L. , Forbrich I. , Schneider J. , Jager D. , Thees B. , Wilmking M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Accurate determination of carbon balances in heterogeneous ecosystems often requires the extrapolation of point based measurements. The ground resolution (pixel size) of the extrapolation base, e.g. a land-cover map, might thus influence the calculated carbon balance, in particular if biogeochemical hot spots are small in size. In this paper, we test the effects of varying ground resolution on the calculated carbon balance of a boreal peatland consisting of hummocks (dry), lawns (intermediate) and flarks (wet surfaces). The generalizations in lower resolution imagery led to biased area estimates for individual micro-site types. While areas of lawns and hummocks were stable below a threshold resolution of ~60 cm, the maximum of the flark area was located at resolutions below 25 cm and was then decreasing with coarsening resolution. Using a resolution of 100 cm instead of 6 cm led to an overestimation of total CO2 uptake of the studied peatland area (approximately 14 600 m2) of ~6% and an underestimation of total CH4 emission of ~11%. To accurately determine the surface area of scattered and small-sized micro-site types in heterogeneous ecosystems (e.g. flarks in peatlands), a minimum ground resolution appears necessary. In our case this leads to a recommended resolution of 25 cm, which can be derived by conventional airborne imagery. The usage of high resolution imagery from commercial satellites, e.g. Quickbird, however, is likely to underestimate the surface area of biogeochemical hot spots. It is important to note that the observed resolution effect on the carbon balance estimates can be much stronger for other ecosystems than for the investigated peatland where the relative hot spot area of the flarks is very small and their hot spot characteristics with respect to CH4 and CO2 fluxes is rather modest.
Surface flow types, near-bed hydraulics and the distribution of stream macroinvertebrates
Authors: Reid M. A. , Thoms M. C.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Spatial variation in hydraulic conditions in streams often results in distinct water surface patterns, or surface flow types. Visual assessments of the distribution of surface flow types have been used to provide rapid assessment of habitat heterogeneity. The efficacy of this approach is predicated on the notion that surface flow types consistently represent a distinct suite of hydraulic conditions with biological relevance. This study tested this notion, asking three specific questions. First, do surface flow types provide a characterisation of physical habitat that is relevant to macroinvertebrates? Second, how well do near-bed hydraulic conditions explain macroinvertebrate distributions? Third, what components of near-bed hydraulic conditions exert the strongest influence on macroinvertebrate distributions? Results show that hydraulic conditions (incorporating direct measurements of near-bed velocity and turbulence in three dimensions) and substratum character (incorporating estimates of particle size distribution, and biofilm and macrophyte cover) within each surface flow type were largely distinct and that macroinvertebrate assemblages differed across flow types in taxon richness and assemblage composition, thus supporting the notion that rapid assessments of surface flow type distributions provide biologically relevant information. Macroinvertebrate assemblages were most strongly correlated with water depth, size of a flow type patch, near-bed velocity in the downstream direction, turbulence in the transverse direction, % pebble, % sand, % silt and clay and macrophyte cover. This study suggests that surface flow type mapping provides an assessment of physical habitat that is relevant to macroinvertebrates. The strong relationship detected between macroinvertebrate assemblages and transverse turbulence also highlights the value of directly measuring near-bed hydraulics. Further investigations are required to test the mechanisms underlying this relationship.
A rapid transition from ice covered CO2-rich waters to a biologically mediated CO2 sink in the eastern Weddell Gyre
Authors: Bakker D. C. E. , Hoppema M. , Schröder M. , Geibert W. , de Baar H. J. W.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW), locally called Warm Deep Water (WDW), enters the Weddell Gyre in the southeast, roughly at 25° E to 30° E. In December~2002 and January 2003} we studied the effect of entrainment of WDW on the fugacity of carbon dioxide (fCO2) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in Weddell Sea surface waters. Ultimately the fCO2 difference across the sea surface drives CO2 air-sea fluxes. Deep CTD sections and surface transects of fCO2 were made along the Prime Meridian, a northwest-southeast section, and along 17° E to 23° E during cruise ANT XX/2 on FS Polarstern. Upward movement and entrainment of WDW into the winter mixed layer had significantly increased DIC and fCO2 below the sea ice along 0° W and 17° E to 23° E, notably in the southern Weddell Gyre. Nonetheless, the ice cover largely prevented outgassing of CO2 to the atmosphere. During and upon melting of the ice, biological activity rapidly reduced surface water fCO2 by up to 100 μatm, thus creating a sink for atmospheric CO2. Despite the tendency of the surfacing WDW to cause CO2 supersaturation, the Weddell Gyre may well be a CO2 sink on an annual basis due to this effective mechanism involving ice cover and ensuing biological fCO2 reduction. Dissolution of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in melting sea ice may also play a role in this rapid reduction of surface water fCO2. The CO2 source tendency deriving from the upward movement of "pre-industrial" CDW is declining, as atmospheric CO2 levels continue to increase, and thus the CO2 sink of the Weddell Gyre will continue to increase as well (provided the upward movement of WDW does not change significantly).
Spatial and temporal variation of methane emissions in drained eutrophic peat agro-ecosystems: drainage ditches as emission hotspots
Authors: Schrier-Uijl A. P. , Veenendaal E. M. , Leffelaar P. A. , van Huissteden J. C. , Berendse F.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Our research investigates the spatial and temporal variability of methane (CH4) emissions in two drained eutrophic peat areas (one intensively managed and the other less intensively managed) and the correlation between CH4 emissions and soil temperature, air temperature, soil moisture content and water table. We stratified the landscape into landscape elements that represent different conditions in terms of topography and therefore differ in moisture conditions. There was great spatial variability in the fluxes in both areas; the ditches and ditch edges (together 27% of the landscape) were methane hotspots whereas the dry fields had the smallest fluxes. In the intensively managed site the fluxes were significantly higher by comparison with the less intensively managed site. In all the landscape element elements the best explanatory variable for CH4 emission was temperature. Neither soil moisture content nor water table correlated significantly with CH4 emissions, except in April, where soil moisture was the best explanatory variable.
Heterogeneous ice nucleation activity of bacteria: new laboratory experiments at simulated cloud conditions
Authors: Möhler O. , Georgakopoulos D. G. , Morris C. E. , Benz S. , Ebert V. , Hunsmann S. , Saathoff H. , Schnaiter M. , Wagner R.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The ice nucleation activities of five different Pseudomonas syringae, Pseudomonas viridiflava and Erwinia herbicola bacterial species and of SnomaxTM were investigated in the temperature range between −5 and −15°C. Water suspensions of these bacteria were directly spray into the cloud chamber of the AIDA facility of Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe at a temperature of −5.7°. At this temperature, about 1% of the SnomaxTM cells induced freezing of the spray droplets before they evaporated in the cloud chamber. The other suspensions of living cells didn't induce any measurable ice concentration during spray formation at −5.7°. The remaining aerosol was exposed to typical cloud activation conditions in subsequent experiments with expansion cooling to about −11°C. During these experiments, the bacterial cells first acted as cloud condensation nuclei to form cloud droplets and then eventually acted as ice nuclei to freeze the droplets. The results indicate that the bacteria investigated in the present study are mainly ice active in the temperature range between −7 and −11°C with an INA fraction of the order of 10−4. The ice nucleation efficiency of SnomaxTM cells was much larger with an INA fraction of 0.2 at temperatures around −8°C.
Diversity of bacteria producing pigmented colonies in aerosol, snow and soil samples from remote glacial areas (Antarctica, Alps and Andes)
Authors: González-Toril E. , Amils R. , Delmas R. J. , Petit J.-R. , Komárek J. , Elster J.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Four different communities and one culture of pigmented microbial assemblages were obtained by incubation in mineral medium of samples collected from high elevation snow in the Alps (Mt. Blanc area) and the Andes (Nevado Illimani summit, Bolivia), from Antarctic aerosol (French station Dumont d'Urville) and a maritime Antarctic soil (King George Island, South Shetlands, Uruguay Station Artigas). Molecular analysis of more than 200 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that all cultured cells belong to the Bacteria domain. The phylogenetic comparison with the currently available rDNA database allowed the identification of sequences belonging to Proteobacteria (Alpha-, Beta- and Gamma-proteobacteria), Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes phyla. The Andes snow culture was the richest in bacterial diversity (eight microorganisms identified) and the maritime Antarctic soil the poorest (only one). Snow samples from Col du midi (Alps) and the Andes shared the highest number of identified microorganisms (Agrobacterium, Limnobacter, Aquiflexus and two uncultured Alphaproteobacteria clones). These two sampling sites also shared four sequences with the Antarctic aerosol sample (Limnobacter, Pseudonocardia and an uncultured Alphaproteobacteria clone). The only microorganism identified in the maritime Antarctica soil (Brevundimonas sp.) was also detected in the Antarctic aerosol. The two snow samples from the Alps only shared one common microorganism. Most of the identified microorganisms have been detected previously in cold environments (Dietzia kujamenisi, Pseudonocardia Antarctica, Hydrogenophaga palleronii and Brebundimonas sp.), marine sediments (Aquiflexus balticus, Pseudomonas pseudoalkaligenes, Pseudomonas sp. and one uncultured Alphaproteobacteria), and soils and rocks (Pseudonocardia sp., Agrobactrium sp., Limnobacter sp. and two uncultured Alphaproteobacetria clones). Air current dispersal is the best model to explain the presence of very specific microorganisms, like those used in this work, in very distant environments. In addition these microorganisms have to be resistant to extreme conditions and able to grow in oligotrophic environments. Considering the habitats in which they have been identified, the presence of pigments must be related with their ability to resist high doses of radiation.
Using MODIS derivedfPAR with ground based flux tower measurements to derive the light use efficiency for two Canadian peatlands
Authors: Connolly J. , Roulet N. T. , Seaquist J. W. , Holden N. M. , Lafleur P. M. , Humphreys E. R. , Heumann B. W. , Ward S. M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. We used satellite remote sensing data; fraction of photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by vegetation (fPAR) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in combination with tower eddy covariance and meteorological measurements to characterise the light use efficiency parameter (ε) variability and the maximum ε (εmax) for two contrasting Canadian peatlands. Eight-day MODIS fPAR data were acquired for the Mer Bleue (2000 to 2003) and Western Peatland (2004). Flux tower eddy covariance and meteorological measurements were integrated to the same eight-day time stamps as the MODIS fPAR data. A light use efficiency model: GPP=ε * APAR (where GPP is Gross Primary Productivity and APAR is absorbed photosynthetically active radiation) was used to calculated ε. The εmax value for each year (2000 to 2003) at the Mer Bleue bog ranged from 0.58 g C MJ−1 to 0.78 g C MJ−1 and was 0.91 g C MJ−1 in 2004, for the Western Peatland. The average growing season ε for the Mer Bleue bog for the four year period was 0.35 g C MJ−1 and for the Western Peatland in 2004 was 0.57 g C MJ−1. The average snow free period ε for the Mer Bleue bog over the four year period was 0.27 g C MJ−1 and for the Western Peatland in 2004 was 0.39 g C MJ−1. Using the light use efficiency method we calculated the εmax and the annual variability in ε for two Canadian peatlands. We determined that temperature was a growth-limiting factor at both sites Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPD) however was not. MODIS fPAR is a useful tool for the characterization of ε at flux tower sites.
Iron oxide deposits associated with the ectosymbiotic bacteria in the hydrothermal vent shrimp Rimicaris exoculata
Authors: Corbari L. , Cambon-Bonavita M.-A. , Long G. J. , Grandjean F. , Zbinden M. , Gaill F. , Compère P.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The Rimicaris exoculata shrimp is considered a primary consumer that dominates the fauna of most Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) hydrothermal ecosystems. These shrimps harbour in their gill chambers an important ectosymbiotic community of chemoautotrophic bacteria associated with iron oxide deposits. The structure and elemental composition of the minerals associated with these bacteria have been investigated by using X-ray microanalyses, light microscopy, and transmission, environmental scanning and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The nature of the iron oxides in shrimps obtained from the Rainbow vent field at 36°14.0' N, has also been determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy. This multidisciplinary approach has revealed that the three step-levels of mineral crust found in the Rimicaris exoculata shrimps consist of heavy concretions formed by nanoparticles of two-line ferrihydrite intermixed with minor inorganic SiO2, (Ca,Mg)SO4, and (Ca,Mg)3(PO4)2 minerals that may stabilise the ferrihydrite form of iron oxides. Morphological observations on the bacteria have revealed their close interactions with these minerals and, thus, indicate the biogenic origin of the iron oxide deposits. The evolution of the bacterial density in the three mineral crust levels is related to the amount of the iron deposits and it is proposed that the lower crust level is the most likely region for the location of the iron-oxidizing bacteria.
Constraints on mechanisms and rates of anaerobic oxidation of methane by microbial consortia: process-based modeling of ANME-2 archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria interactions
Authors: Orcutt B. , Meile C.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is the main process responsible for the removal of methane generated in Earth's marine subsurface environments. However, the biochemical mechanism of AOM remains elusive. By explicitly resolving the observed spatial arrangement of methanotrophic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria found in consortia mediating AOM, potential intermediates involved in the electron transfer between the methane oxidizing and sulfate reducing partners were investigated via a consortium-scale reaction transport model that integrates the effect of diffusional transport with thermodynamic and kinetic controls on microbial activity. Model simulations were used to assess the impact of poorly constrained microbial characteristics such as minimum energy requirements to sustain metabolism, substrate affinity and cell specific rates. The role of environmental conditions such as the influence of methane levels on the feasibility of H2, formate and acetate as intermediate species, and the impact of the abundance of intermediate species on pathway reversal was examined. The results show that higher production rates of intermediates via AOM lead to increased diffusive fluxes from the methane oxidizing archaea to sulfate reducing bacteria, but the build-up of the exchangeable species causes the energy yield of AOM to drop below that required for ATP production. Comparison to data from laboratory experiments shows that under the experimental conditions of Nauhaus et al. (2007), neither hydrogen nor formate is exchanged fast enough between the consortia partners to achieve measured rates of metabolic activity, but that acetate exchange might support rates that approach those observed.
The CO2 exchange of biological soil crusts in a semiarid grass-shrubland at the northern transition zone of the Negev desert, Israel
Authors: Wilske B. , Burgheimer J. , Karnieli A. , Zaady E. , Andreae M. O. , Yakir D. , Kesselmeier J.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Biological soil crusts (BSC) contribute significantly to the soil surface cover in many dryland ecosystems. A mixed type of BSC, which consists of cyanobacteria, mosses and cyanolichens, constitutes more than 60% of ground cover in the semiarid grass-shrub steppe at Sayeret Shaked in the northern Negev Desert, Israel. This study aimed at parameterizing the carbon sink capacity of well-developed BSC in undisturbed steppe systems. Mobile enclosures on permanent soil borne collars were used to investigate BSC-related CO2 fluxes in situ and with natural moisture supply during 10 two-day field campaigns within seven months from fall 2001 to summer 2002. Highest BSC-related CO2 deposition between −11.31 and −17.56 mmol m−2 per 15 h was found with BSC activated from rain and dew during the peak of the winter rain season. Net CO2 deposition by BSC was calculated to compensate 120%, −26%, and less than 3% of the concurrent soil CO2 efflux from November–January, February–May and November–May, respectively. Thus, BSC effectively compensated soil CO2 effluxes when CO2 uptake by vascular vegetation was probably at its low point. Nighttime respiratory emission reduced daily BSC-related CO2 deposition within the period November–January by 11–123% and on average by 27%. The analysis of CO2 fluxes and water inputs from the various sources showed that the bulk of BSC-related CO2 deposition occurs during periods with frequent rain events and subsequent condensation from water accumulated in the upper soil layers. Significant BSC activity on days without detectable atmospheric water supply emphasized the importance of high soil moisture contents as additional water source for soil-dwelling BSC, whereas activity upon dew formation at low soil water contents was not of major importance for BSC-related CO2 deposition. However, dew may still be important in attaining a pre-activated status during the transition from a long "summer" anabiosis towards the first winter rain.
Role of environmental factors for the vertical distribution (0–1000 m) of marine bacterial communities in the NW Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Ghiglione J. F. , Palacios C. , Marty J. C. , Mével G. , Labrune C. , Conan P. , Pujo-Pay M. , Garcia N. , Goutx M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Bacterioplankton play a central role in energy and matter fluxes at the sea, yet the factors that constrain their variation in the marine systems are still poorly understood. Here we show the explanatory power of multivariate statistical analysis of bacterial community structures coupled with fine measurements of numerous environmental parameters. We gathered and analysed data from a one month sampling period from the surface to 1000 m depth at the JGOFS-DYFAMED station (NW Mediterranean Sea). This station is characterized by very poor horizontal advection currents what makes it an ideal model to test hypothesis on the causes of vertical stratification of bacterial communities. Capillary electrophoresis single strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) fingerprinting profiles analyzed using multivariate statistical methods demonstrated a vertical zonation of bacterial assemblages in three layers, above, in or just below the chlorophyll maximum and deeper, that remained stable during the entire sampling period. Through the use of direct gradient multivariate ordination analyses we demonstrate that a complex array of biogeochemical parameters is the driving force behinds bacterial community structure shifts in the water column. Physico-chemical parameters such as phosphate, nitrate, salinity and to a lesser extend temperature, oxygen, dissolve organic carbon and photosynthetically active radiation acted in synergy to explain bacterial assemblages changes with depth. Analysis of lipid biomarkers of the organic matter sources and fates suggested that bacterial community structure at the surface layers was in part explained by lipids from chloroplast origin. Further detailed analysis of pigment-based phytoplankton diversity gave evidence of a compartmentalized influence of several phytoplankton groups on bacterial community structure in the first 150 m depth. This study is probably the first example of an analysis employing a complex environmental dataset in combination with microbial community profiles to unravel the mechanisms underneath bacterial assemblages in marine systems.
Regulation of anaerobic methane oxidation in sediments of the Black Sea
Authors: Knab N. J. , Cragg B. A. , Hornibrook E. R. C. , Holmkvist L. , Borowski C. , Parkes R. J. , Jørgensen B. B.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) and sulfate reduction (SRR) were investigated in sediments of the western Black Sea, where methane transport is controlled by diffusion. To understand the regulation and dynamics of methane production and oxidation in the Black Sea, rates of methanogenesis, AOM, and SRR were determined using radiotracers in combination with pore water chemistry and stable isotopes. On the shelf of the Danube paleo-delta and the Dnjepr Canyon, AOM did not consume methane effectively and upwards diffusing methane created an extended sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) that spread over more than 2.5 m and was located in formerly limnic sediment. Measurable AOM rates occurred mainly in the lower part of the SMTZ, sometimes even at depths where sulfate seemed to be unavailable. The inefficiency of methane oxidation appears to be linked to the limnic history of the sediment, since in all cores methane was completely oxidized at the limnic-marine transition. The upward tailing of methane was less pronounced in a core from the deep sea in the area of the Dnjepr Canyon, the only station with a SMTZ close to the marine deposits. Sulfate reduction rates were mostly extremely low, and in the SMTZ were even lower than AOM rates. Rates of bicarbonate-based methanogenesis were below detection limit in two of the cores, but δ13C values of methane indicate a biogenic origin. The most depleted δ13C-signal was found in the SMTZ of the core from the deep sea, most likely as a result of carbon recycling between AOM and methanogenesis.
Seaglider observations of variability in daytime fluorescence quenching of chlorophyll-a in Northeastern Pacific coastal waters
Authors: Sackmann B. S. , Perry M. J. , Eriksen C. C.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The use of new autonomous and Lagrangian platforms (e.g. gliders, drifters, etc.) has revolutionized sampling of the ocean. The incorporation of in vivo chlorophyll-a fluorometers into these platforms for characterizing chlorophyll-a concentrations and phytoplankton biomass has reinforced the need for a thorough understanding of the variability and biases associated with basic fluorescence measurements. Seaglider, a long-range autonomous glider, has been deployed routinely in Northeast Pacific waters off the Washington coast, USA. Measurements of chlorophyll-a fluorescence (proxy for chlorophyll-a concentration) and optical backscattering (proxy for particle concentration) were collected on the continental shelf and along a V-shaped transect that extended 200 km from the continental shelf into deep oceanic waters. Daytime fluorescence quenching (i.e. the reduction in the fluorescence quantum yield often observed during daylight hours) could be detected throughout the dataset, with near-surface daytime fluorescence quenched by as much as 80% during summer. Quenching was observed throughout the region, at all times of year, and to depths greater than 50 m. The degree of quenching was positively correlated with incoming solar radiation and the observed pattern was remarkably similar to what has been observed in other areas, suggesting some degree of universality for the underlying relationship.
Disentangling the effects of climate and people on Sahel vegetation dynamics
Authors: Seaquist J. W. , Hickler T. , Eklundh L. , Ardö J. , Heumann B. W.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. The Sahel belt of Africa has been the focus of intensive scientific research since the 1960s, spurred on by the chronic vulnerability of its population to recurring drought and the threat of long-term land degradation. But satellite sensors have recently shown that much of the region has experienced significant increases in photosynthetic activity since the early 1980s, thus re-energizing long-standing debates about the role that people play in shaping land surface status, and thus climate at regional scales. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that people have had a measurable impact on vegetation dynamics in the Sahel for the period 1982–2002. We compare potential natural vegetation dynamics predicted by a process-based ecosystem model with satellite-derived greenness observations, and map the agreement between the two across a geographic grid at a spatial resolution of 0.5°. As aggregated data-model agreement is very good, any local differences between the two could be due to human impact. We then relate this agreement metric to state-of-the-art data sets on demographics, pasture, and cropping. Our findings suggest that demographic and agricultural pressures in the Sahel are unable to account for differences between simulated and observed vegetation dynamics, even for the most densely populated areas. But we do identify a weak, positive correlation between data-model agreement and pasture intensity at the Sahel-wide level. This indicates that herding or grazing does not appreciably affect vegetation dynamics in the region. Either people have not had a significant impact on vegetation dynamics in the Sahel or the identification of a human "footprint" is precluded by inconsistent or subtle vegetation response to complex socio-environmental interactions, and/or limitations in the data used for this study.
Estimating carbon emissions from African wildfires
Authors: Lehsten V. , Tansey K. J. , Balzter H. , Thonicke K. , Spessa A. , Weber U. , Smith B. , Arneth A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Africa is a continent dominated by fire. Vegetation fires, occurring naturally or human-ignited as a land management practice, have a long history in the continent's savannah ecosystems. These fires contribute substantially to the total carbon emissions (e.g. as CO2, CO, CH4, Volatile Organic Compounds, Black Carbon) over large parts of the continent. Many recent attempts to assess the total area burnt and the amount of carbon emitted have been based on satellite remote sensing of active fires. To calculate emissions, the burned area estimates are typically multiplied with emission factors that are specific for each compound and land cover type, or used to distribute output from a biogeochemical model spatially. We developed a technique for estimating carbon emissions using a modelling approach to scale burned area estimates from L3JRC, a map recently generated from remote sensing of burn scars instead of active fires. Carbon fluxes were calculated by the novel fire model SPITFIRE embedded within the dynamic vegetation model framework LPJ-GUESS, using daily climate input. For the time period from 2001 to 2005 an average area of 195.5±24×104 km2 was burned annually, releasing an average of 723±70 Tg C to the atmosphere; these estimates for the biomass burned are within the range of previously published estimates. Despite the fact that the majority of wildfires are ignited by humans, strong relationships with climatic conditions have been identified in savannas worldwide, driving inter-annual variability. Our investigation of the relationships amongst carbon emissions and its potential drivers, available litter and precipitation showed that burned area as well as carbon emissions show a uni-modal response to precipitation with a maximum at ca. 1000 mm annual precipitation for burned area and emissions and a maximum of ca. 1200 mm annual precipitation for litter availability.
Spatial and temporal variations in dissolved and particulate organic nitrogen in the equatorial Pacific: biological regulations and physical influences
Authors: Wang X. J. , Le Borgne R. , Murtugudde R. , Busalacchi A. J. , Behrenfeld M.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. To quote Libby and Wheeler (1997), "we have only a cursory knowledge of the distributions of dissolved and particulate organic nitrogen" in the equatorial Pacific. A decade later, we are still in need of spatial and temporal analyses of these organic nitrogen pools. To address this issue, we employ a basin scale physical-biogeochemical model to study the spatial and temporal variations of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON). The model is able to reproduce many observed features of nitrate, ammonium, DON and PON in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, including the asymmetries of nitrate and ammonium, and the meridional distributions of DON and PON. Modeled DON (5–8 mmol m−3) shows small zonal and meridional variations in the mixed layer whereas modeled PON (0.4–1.5 mmol m−3) shows considerable spatial variability. While there is a moderate seasonality in both DON and PON in the mixed layer, there is a much weaker interannual variability in DON than in PON. The interannual variability in PON is largely associated with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, showing high values during cold ENSO phase but low values during warm ENSO phase. Overall, DON and PON have significant positive correlations with phytoplankton and zooplankton in the mixed layer. However, the relationships with phytoplankton and zooplankton are much weaker for DON (r=0.18–0.71) than for PON (r=0.25–0.97). Such a difference is ascribed to a larger degree of physical control (e.g., upwelling of low-organic-N deep waters into the surface) on DON than PON. On the whole, distribution of organic nitrogen appears to be controlled by biological influences in the equatorial Pacific.
Dynamics of ammonia exchange with cut grassland: strategy and implementation of the GRAMINAE Integrated Experiment
Authors: Sutton M. A. , Nemitz E. , Theobald M. R. , Milford C. , Dorsey J. R. , Gallagher M. W. , Hensen A. , Jongejan P. A. C. , Erisman J. W. , Mattsson M. E. , Schjoerring J. K. , Cellier P. , Loubet B. , Roche R. , Neftel A. , Hermann B. , Jones S. , Lehman B. E. , Horvath L. , Weidinger T. , Rajkai K. , Burkhardt J. , Löpmeier F. J. , Daemmgen U.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. A major international experiment on ammonia (NH3) biosphere-atmosphere exchange was conducted over intensively managed grassland at Braunschweig, Germany. The experimental strategy was developed to allow an integrated analysis of different features of NH3 exchange including: a) quantification of nearby emissions and advection effects, b) estimation of net NH3 fluxes with the canopy by a range of micrometeorological measurements, c) analysis of the sources and sinks of NH3 within the plant canopy, including soils and bioassay measurements, d) comparison of the effects of grassland management options on NH3 fluxes and e) assessment of the interactions of NH3 fluxes with aerosol exchange processes. Additional technical objectives included the inter-comparison of different estimates of sensible and latent heat fluxes, as well as continuous-gradient and Relaxed Eddy Accumulation (REA) systems for NH3 fluxes. The prior analysis established the spatial and temporal design of the experiment, allowing significant synergy between these objectives. The measurements were made at 7 measurement locations, thereby quantifying horizontal and vertical profiles, and covered three phases: a) tall grass canopy prior to cutting (7 days), b) short grass after cutting (7 days) and c) re-growing sward following fertilization with ammonium nitrate (10 days). The sequential management treatments allowed comparison of sources-sinks, advection and aerosol interactions under a wide range of NH3 fluxes. This paper describes the experimental strategy and reports the grassland management history, soils, environmental conditions and air chemistry during the experiment, finally summarizing how the results are coordinated in the accompanying series of papers.
Annual and diurnal African biomass burning temporal dynamics
Authors: Roberts G. , Wooster M. J. , Lagoudakis E.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Africa is the single largest continental source of biomass burning emissions. Here we conduct the first analysis of one full year of geostationary active fire detections and fire radiative power data recorded over Africa at 15-min temporal resolution and a 3 km sampling distance (at the sub-satellite point) by the SEVIRI imaging radiometer onboard the Meteosat-8 satellite. We use these data to provide new insights into the rates and totals of African open biomass burning, particularly into the extremely strong seasonal and diurnal cycles that exist across the continent. We find peak daily biomass combustion totals are 9 and 6 million tonnes per day in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres respectively, and total fuel consumption between February 2004 and January 2005 is at least 855 million tonnes. Analysis is carried out with regard to fire pixel temporal persistence, and we note that the majority of African fires are detected only once in consecutive 15 min imaging slots, indicating the importance of optimizing the fire pixel detection strategy performance. An investigation of the variability of the diurnal fire cycle is carried out with respect to 20 land cover types, and whilst differences are noted between land covers, the diurnal characteristics for a given land cover type are similar in both African hemispheres. We compare the FRP-derived biomass combustion estimates to burned-areas, both at the scale of individual fires and over the entire continent at a 1-degree spatial scale. Fuel consumption estimates are found to be less than 2 kg/m2 for almost all land cover types, and for savanna grasslands where literature values are commonly reported the FRP-derived median fuel consumption estimate of 309 g/m2 appears reasonable. From mid-2008, geostationary FRP data of the type presented here will become available to interested users continuously and in near real-time from the EUMETSAT Land Surface Analysis Satellite Applications Facility (LandSAF), allowing the types of analysis presented in this paper to be undertaken on multi-year datasets where relationships between climate variables, active fires and fuel consumption can be further examined.
CO2 radiative forcing during the Holocene Thermal Maximum revealed by stomatal frequency of Iberian oak leaves
Authors: García-Amorena I. , Wagner-Cremer F. , Gomez Manzaneque F. , van Hoof T. B. , García Álvarez S. , Visscher H.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Here we analyse radiocarbon-dated Quercus leaf assemblages from northern Spain to obtain past atmospheric CO2 mixing ratios for the time period 9000–1100 cal BP by means of stomatal frequency analysis. Normalized, stomata based CO2 records show fluctuations of 20 ppmv during the Holocene that parallel Northern Hemisphere palaeotemperature reconstructions. The calculated radiative forcing of CO2 indicates a CO2 contribution of +0.1°C to the Holocene Thermal Maximum from 7 to 5 kyr BP, and −0.05°C to the Neoglacial cooling around 4 kyr BP. Derived northern hemispheric air-temperature anomalies forced by atmospheric CO2 variation suggest an active role of this trace gas as an amplifier of initial orbital forcing of Holocene climate.
Satellite-detected fluorescence reveals global physiology of ocean phytoplankton
Authors: Behrenfeld M. J. , Westberry T. K. , Boss E. S. , O'Malley R. T. , Siegel D. A. , Wiggert J. D. , Franz B. A. , McClain C. R. , Feldman G. C. , Doney S. C. , Moore J. K. , Dall'Olmo G. , Milligan A. J. , Lima I. , Mahowald N.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Phytoplankton photosynthesis links global ocean biology and climate-driven fluctuations in the physical environment. These interactions are largely expressed through changes in phytoplankton physiology, but physiological status has proven extremely challenging to characterize globally. Phytoplankton fluorescence does provide a rich source of physiological information long exploited in laboratory and field studies, and is now observed from space. Here we use satellite-based fluorescence measurements to evaluate light-absorption and energy-dissipation processes influencing phytoplankton light use efficiency and demonstrate its utility as a global physiological indicator of iron-limited growth conditions. This new tool provides a path for monitoring climate-phytoplankton physiology interactions, improving descriptions of light use efficiency in ocean productivity models, evaluating nutrient-stress predictions in ocean ecosystem models, and appraising phytoplankton responses to natural iron enrichments or purposeful iron fertilizations activities.
Methanol and other VOC fluxes from a Danish beech forest during springtime
Authors: Schade G. W. , Solomon S. J. , Dellwik E. , Pilegaard K. , Ladstätter-Weissenmayer A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. In-canopy mixing ratio gradients and above-canopy fluxes of several volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured using a commercial proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) in a European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest in Denmark. Emission fluxes of methanol occurred dominantly late at night, which was supported by highest mixing ratios in the crown region, and is in line with recent controlled laboratory experiments. Also confirming previous measurements, monoterpene emissions showed a diurnal cycle consistent with light-dependent emissions, supported by highest mixing ratios in the canopy space during early afternoon. Also emitted was acetone, but only at ambient temperatures exceeding 20°C. Deposition dominated at lower temperatures. Deposition fluxes occurred also for methanol but seemingly as a result of high ambient methanol mixing ratios. Our in-canopy gradient measurements contrasted earlier results from tropical and pine forest ecosystems in that they did not show this beech ecosystem to be a strong sink for oxygenated VOCs. Instead, their gradients were flat and only small deposition velocities (<0.1 cm s–1) were observed to the onsite soil. However, as soil uptake was consistent and appeared to be related to soil moisture, more measurements are needed to evaluate the soil sink strength. In turn, as canopy scale fluxes are net fluxes with emissions from photosynthesizing leaves affecting potential oxygenated VOC uptake, only independent, controlled laboratory experiments may be successful in separating stomatal from non-stomatal fluxes, and emission from deposition.
Conservation of soil organic carbon, biodiversity and the provision of other ecosystem services along climatic gradients in West Africa
Authors: Marks E. , Aflakpui G. K. S. , Nkem J. , Poch R. M. , Khouma M. , Kokou K. , Sagoe R. , Sebastià M.-T.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Terrestrial carbon resources are major drivers of development in West Africa. The distribution of these resources co-varies with ecosystem type and rainfall along a strong Northeast-Southwest climatic gradient. Soil organic carbon, a strong indicator of soil quality, has been severely depleted in some areas by human activities, which leads to issues of soil erosion and desertification, but this trend can be altered via appropriate management. There is significant potential to enhance existing soil carbon stores in West Africa, with benefits at the global and local scales, for atmospheric CO2 mitigation and supporting, and provisioning ecosystem services, respectively. Three key factors impacting carbon stocks are addressed in this review: climate, biotic factors, and human activities. Climate risks must be considered in a framework of global change, especially in West Africa, where landscape managers have few resources available to adapt to climatic perturbations. Among biotic factors, biodiversity conservation paired with carbon conservation may provide a pathway to sustainable development, as evidence suggests that both may be inter-linked, and biodiversity conservation is also a global priority with local benefits for ecosystem resilience, biomass productivity, and provisioning services such as foodstuffs. Finally, human management has largely been responsible for reduced carbon stocks, but this trend can be reversed through the implementation of appropriate carbon conservation strategies in the agricultural sector, as shown by multiple studies. Owing to the strong regional climatic gradient, country-level initiatives will need to consider carbon sequestration approaches for multiple ecosystem types. Given the diversity of environments, global policies must be adapted and strategised at the national or sub-national levels to improve C storage above and belowground. Initiatives of this sort must act locally at farmer scale, and focus on ecosystem services rather than on carbon sequestration solely.
Quantitative observation of cyanobacteria and diatoms from space using PhytoDOAS on SCIAMACHY data
Authors: Bracher A. , Vountas M. , Dinter T. , Burrows J. P. , Röttgers R. , Peeken I.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. In this study the technique Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) has been adapted for the retrieval of the absorption and biomass of two major phytoplankton groups (PhytoDOAS) from data of the satellite sensor Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY). SCIAMACHY measures back scattered solar radiation in the UV-Vis-NIR spectral region with a high spectral resolution (0.2 to 1.5 nm). In order to identify phytoplankton absorption characteristics in SCIAMACHY data in the range of 430 to 500 nm, phytoplankton absorption spectra measured in-situ during two different RV "Polarstern" expeditions were used. The two spectra have been measured in different ocean regions where different phytoplankton groups (cyanobacteria and diatoms) dominated the phytoplankton composition. Results show clearly different absorption characteristics of the phytoplankton groups in the SCIAMACHY spectra. Globally distributed pigment concentrations for these characteristic phytoplankton groups for two monthly periods (February–March 2004 and October–November 2005) were derived from these differential absorptions by including the information of the sensor's optical paths within the water column (i.e. light penetration depth) according to Vountas et al. (2007) derived from DOAS fits of inelastic scattering. The satellite retrieved information on cyanobacteria and diatoms distribution matches well the concentrations measured at collocated water samples with HPLC technique and concentrations derived from the global model analysis with the NOBM model (Gregg et al., 2003; Gregg and Casey, 2007). Identifying quantitative distribution of key phytoplankton groups from space allow to distinguish various biogeochemical provinces and will be of great importance for the global modelling of marine ecosystem and biogeochemical cycles addressing climate changes in the oceanic biosphere.
Carbon mineralization and carbonate preservation in modern cold-water coral reef sediments on the Norwegian shelf
Authors: Wehrmann L. M. , Knab N. J. , Pirlet H. , Unnithan V. , Wild C. , Ferdelman T. G.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Cold-water coral ecosystems are considered hot-spots of biodiversity and biomass production and may be a regionally important contributor to carbonate production. The impact of these ecosystems on biogeochemical processes and carbonate preservation in associated sediments were studied at Røst Reef and Traenadjupet Reef, two modern (post-glacial) cold-water coral reefs on the Mid-Norwegian shelf. Sulfate and iron reduction as well as carbonate dissolution and precipitation were investigated by combining pore-water geochemical profiles, steady state modeling, as well as solid phase analyses and sulfate reduction rate measurements on gravity cores of up to 3.2 m length. Low extents of sulfate depletion and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) production, combined with sulfate reduction rates not exceeding 3 nmolS cm−3 d−1, suggested that overall anaerobic carbon mineralization in the sediments was low. These data showed that the coral fragment-bearing siliciclastic sediments were effectively decoupled from the productive pelagic ecosystem by the complex reef surface framework. Organic matter being mineralized by sulfate reduction was calculated to consist of 57% carbon bound in –CH2O– groups and 43% carbon in –CH2– groups. Methane concentrations were below 1 μM, and failed to support the hypothesis of a linkage between the distribution of cold-water coral reefs and the presence of hydrocarbon seepage. Iron reduction linked to microbial sulfate reduction buffered the pore-water carbonate system and inhibited acid driven coral skeleton dissolution. A large pool of reactive iron was available leading to the formation of iron sulfide minerals. Constant pore-water Ca2+, Mg2+ and Sr2+ concentrations in most cores and decreasing Ca2+ and Sr2+ concentrations with depth in core 23-18 GC indicated diagenetic carbonate precipitation. This was consistent with the excellent preservation of buried coral fragments.
Biogeochemical plant site conditions in stream valleys after winter flooding: a phytometer approach
Authors: Beumer V. , Ohm J. N. , van Wirdum G. , Beltman B. , Griffioen J. , Verhoeven J. T. A.
Published: April 2010

Abstract. Reintroduction of winter flooding events will have strong effects on the plant growth conditions in the parts of stream valleys that have not been accustomed to flooding in recent years. The major goal of this research is, firstly, to investigate the plant growth conditions in floodplain soils in the period after a winter flood and, secondly, to assess whether a phytometer setup is suitable for the evaluation of winter flooding on plant growth conditions. Soil cores of three agricultural and three semi-natural grassland sites have been exposed to a simulated winter flooding event. Then, cores were subjected to spring conditions in a growth chamber and were planted with seedlings of Anthoxantum odoratum and Lythrum salicaria. The growth conditions changed in opposite directions for our two phytometer species, expressed as biomass and nutrient changes. We discuss possible causes of an increase or decrease in biomass, such as (1) soil nutrient effects (N, P and K), (2) toxic effects of NH4, Fe and Al, and (3) possible shortage of other macro- and micronutrients. The conclusions are that plant growth after winter flooding was affected by enhanced nutrient and toxicant availabilities in agricultural sites and mainly by soil nutrients in the semi-natural sites. The use of the two species selected had clear advantages: Lythrum salicaria is well-suited to assess the nutrient status in previously flooded soils, because it is a well-known invader of wetlands and not easily hampered by potentially toxic compounds, while A. odoratum is less frequently found at wetland soils and more sensitive to toxic compounds and, therefore, a better indicator of possible toxic effects as a result of winter flooding than L. salicaria.