Corinna Rebmann

Estimates of the annual net carbon and water exchange of forests: The EUROFLUX methodology

Publisher Summary The chapter has described the measurement system and the procedure followed for the computation of the fluxes and the procedure of flux summation, including data gap filling strategy, night flux corrections and error estimation. It begins with the introduction of estimates of the annual net carbon and water exchange of forests using the EUROFLUX methodology. The chapter then provides us with the theory and moves on to discuss the eddy covariance system and its sonic anemometer, temperature fluctuation measurements, infrared gas analyser, air transport system, and tower instrumentation. Additional measurements are also given in the chapter. Data acquisition and its computation and correction is discussed next in the chapter by giving its general procedure, half-hourly means (co-)variances and uncorrected fluxes, intercomparison of software, and correction for frequency response losses. The chapter has also discussed about quality control and four criteria are investigated here for the same. Spatial representativeness of measured fluxes and summation procedure are reviewed. The chapter then moves on to the discussion of data gap filling through interpolation and parameterization and neural networks. Corrections to night-time data and error estimation are also explored in the chapter. Finally, the chapter closes with conclusions.

Respiration as the main determinant of carbon balance in European forests

Carbon exchange between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere is one of the key processes that need to be assessed in the context of the Kyoto Protocol. Several studies suggest that the terrestrial biosphere is gaining carbon, but these estimates are obtained primarily by indirect methods, and the factors that control terrestrial carbon exchange, its magnitude and primary locations, are under debate. Here we present data of net ecosystem carbon exchange, collected between 1996 and 1998 from 15 European forests, which confirm that many European forest ecosystems act as carbon sinks. The annual carbon balances range from an uptake of 6.6 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year to a release of nearly 1 t C ha -1 yr-1, with a large variability between forests. The data show a significant increase of carbon uptake with decreasing latitude, whereas the gross primary production seems to be largely independent of latitude. Our observations indicate that, in general, ecosystem respiration determines net ecosystem carbon exchange. Also, for an accurate assessment of the carbon balance in a particular forest ecosystem, remote sensing of the normalized difference vegetation index or estimates based on forest inventories may not be sufficient.

Influence of spring and autumn phenological transitions on forest ecosystem productivity

We use eddy covariance measurements of net ecosystem productivity (NEP) from 21 FLUXNET sites (153 site-years of data) to investigate relationships between phenology and productivity (in terms of both NEP and gross ecosystem photosynthesis, GEP) in temperate and boreal forests. Results are used to evaluate the plausibility of four different conceptual models. Phenological indicators were derived from the eddy covariance time series, and from remote sensing and models. We examine spatial patterns (across sites) and temporal patterns (across years); an important conclusion is that it is likely that neither of these accurately represents how productivity will respond to future phenological shifts resulting from ongoing climate change. In spring and autumn, increased GEP resulting from an ‘extra’ day tends to be offset by concurrent, but smaller, increases in ecosystem respiration, and thus the effect on NEP is still positive. Spring productivity anomalies appear to have carry-over effects that translate to productivity anomalies in the following autumn, but it is not clear that these result directly from phenological anomalies. Finally, the productivity of evergreen needleleaf forests is less sensitive to phenology than is productivity of deciduous broadleaf forests. This has implications for how climate change may drive shifts in competition within mixed-species stands.

Phase and amplitude of ecosystem carbon release and uptake potentials as derived from FLUXNET measurements

As length and timing of the growing season are major factors explaining differences in carbon exchange of ecosystems, we analyzed seasonal patterns of net ecosystem carbon exchange (FNEE) using eddy covariance data of the FLUXNET data base (http://www-eosdis.ornl.gov/FLUXNET). The study included boreal and temperate, deciduous and coniferous forests, Mediterranean evergreen systems, rainforest, native and managed temperate grasslands, tundra, and C3 and C4 crops. Generalization of seasonal patterns are useful for identifying functional vegetation types for global dynamic vegetation models, as well as for global inversion studies, and can help improve phenological modules in SVAT or biogeochemical models. The results of this study have important validation potential for global carbon cycle modeling. The phasing of respiratory and assimilatory capacity differed within forest types: for temperate coniferous forests seasonal uptake and release capacities are in phase, for temperate deciduous and boreal coniferous forests, release was delayed compared to uptake. According to seasonal pattern of maximum nighttime release (evaluated over 15-day periods, Fmax) the study sites can be grouped in four classes: (1) boreal and high altitude conifers and grasslands; (2) temperate deciduous and temperate conifers; (3) tundra and crops; (4) evergreen Mediterranean and tropical forests. Similar results are found for maximum daytime uptake (Fmin) and the integral net carbon flux, but temperate deciduous forests fall into class 1. For forests, seasonal amplitudes of Fmax and Fmin increased in the order tropical C3-crops>temperate deciduous forests>temperate conifers>boreal conifers>tundra ecosystems. Due to data restrictions, our analysis centered mainly on Northern Hemisphere temperate and boreal forest ecosystems. Grasslands, crops, Mediterranean ecosystems, and rainforests are under-represented, as are savanna systems, wooded grassland, shrubland, or year-round measurements in tundra systems. For regional or global estimates of carbon sequestration potentials, future investigations of eddy covariance should expand in these systems.

Land management and land-cover change have impacts of similar magnitude on surface temperature

The direct effects of land-cover change on surface climate are increasingly well understood, but fewer studies have investigated the consequences of the trend towards more intensive land management practices. Now, research investigating the biophysical effects of temperate land-management changes reveals a net warming effect of similar magnitude to that driven by changing land cover.

Vertical profiles, boundary layer budgets, and regional flux estimates for CO2 and its 13C/12C ratio and for water vapor above a forest/bog mosaic in central Siberia

On July 15 and 16, 1996, profiles of temperature, water vapor, carbon dioxide concentration, and its carbon isotopic composition were made within and above the convective boundary layer (CBL), near the village of Zotino in central Siberia (60°N, 89°E). On both days the CBL grew to a height of around 1000 m at midday after which little further growth was observed. This was despite high rates of sensible heat flux into the CBL from the predominantly coniferous vegetation below and was attributable to a high subsidence velocity. For all flights, marked discontinuities across the top of the CBL were observed for water vapor and CO2 concentrations with differences between the CBL and the free troposphere above being as high as 10 mmol mol−1 and 13 μmol mol−1, respectively. Associated with the lower CO2 concentrations within the CBL was an enrichment of the δ 13C in CO2 of up to 0.7‰. Although for any one flight, fluctuations in CO2 and δ13C within the CBL were small (less than 3 μmol mol−1 and 0.1 ‰); they were well correlated and suggested a photosynthetic discrimination, Δ, by the vegetation below of ∼17‰. Estimates of regional Δ based on CBL budgeting techniques suggested values ranging from 14.8 to 20.4 ‰. CBL budgeting techniques were also used to estimate regional ecosystem carbon fluxes (−3 to −9 μmol m−2 s−1) and evaporation rates (1−3 mmol m−2 s−1). Agreement with ground-based tower measurements was reasonable, but a bootstrap error analysis suggested that errors associated with the integral CBL technique were sometimes unacceptably large, especially for estimates of regional photosynthetic 13C discrimination and regional evaporation rates. Conditions under which CBL techniques should result in reasonably accurate estimations of regional fluxes and isotopic fractionations are evaluated.

Advection and resulting CO2 exchange uncertainty in a tall forest in central Germany.

Potential losses by advection were estimated at Hainich Forest, Thuringia, Germany, where the tower is located at a gentle slope. Three approaches were used: (1) comparing nighttime eddy covariance fluxes to an independent value of total ecosystem respiration by bottom-up modeling of the underlying processes, (2) direct measurements of a horizontal CO2 gradient and horizontal wind speed at 2 m height in order to calculate horizontal advection, and (3) direct measurements of a vertical CO2 gradient and a three-dimensional wind profile in order to calculate vertical advection. In the first approach, nighttime eddy covariance measurements were compared to independent values of total ecosystem respiration by means of bottom-up modeling of the underlying biological processes. Turbulent fluxes and storage term were normalized to the fluxes calculated by the bottom-up model. Below a u(*) threshold of 0.6 m/s the normalized turbulent fluxes decreased with decreasing u(*), but the flux to the storage increased only up to values less than 20% of the modeled flux at low turbulence. Horizontal advection was measured by a horizontal CO2 gradient over a distance of 130 m combined with horizontal wind speed measurements. Horizontal advection occurred at most of the evenings independently of friction velocity above the canopy. Nevertheless, horizontal advection was higher when u(*) was low. The peaks of horizontal advection correlated with changes in temperature. A full mass balance including turbulent fluxes, storage, and horizontal and vertical advection resulted in an increase of spikes and scatter but seemed to generally improve the results from the flux measurements. The comparison of flux data with independent bottom-up modeling results as well as the direct measurements resulted in strong indications that katabatic flows along the hill slope during evening and night reduces the measured apparent ecosystem respiration rate. In addition, anabatic flows may occur during the morning. We conclude that direct measurements of horizontal and vertical advection are highly necessary at sites located even on gentle hill slopes.

Data Acquisition and Flux Calculations

In this chapter, the basic theory and the procedures used to obtain turbulent fluxes of energy, mass, and momentum with the eddy covariance technique will be detailed. This includes a description of data acquisition, pretreatment of high-frequency data and flux calculation.

Soil Respiration in Beech and Spruce Forests in Europe: Trends, Controlling Factors, Annual Budgets and Implications for the Ecosystem Carbon Balance

The two main processes involved in forest growth are photosynthesis and respiration. During photosynthesis, forest ecosystems absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, while respiration releases CO2 into the atmosphere. Ecosystem respiration includes autotrophic and heterotrophic processes: the first is caused by the growth and maintenance of plant tissues, while the second is mainly the result of the decomposition of litter and soil organic matter brought about by microbial biomass.

Spruce Forests (Norway and Sitka Spruce, including Douglas Fir): Carbon and water fluxes, balances, ecological and ecophysiological determinants

Natural forests with a high percentage of spruce will be found in Europe only in subalpine and alpine regions or in the boreal forests of Scandinavia and Russia. Nevertheless, spruce belongs to the most important European tree species. Due to its favorable architecture and rapid growth, management practices have led to widespread monospecific spruce forests in a latitude band between 45 and 55°N. Only recently have other species such as beech and oak been included in afforestation efforts at former pure spruce sites. So today spruce is still an important forestry tree in central Europe, with a coverage for instance of about 33 % of all forested areas in Germany (Bundesministerium fur Ernahrung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten 1999).