Browsing by Subject "Carbon balance"

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Die Rolle des Porenraums im Kohlenstoffhaushalt anthropogen beeinflusster Niedermoore des Donaurieds
(2007) Höll, Bettina; Stahr, Karl
The use of peatlands in Central Europe for hundreds of years has led to their degradation (loss of organic matter) due to intensive mineralisation. Re-wetting of formerly drained peat aereas has been a popular method of retaining existing peatlands. The effect of re-wetting of degraded fens on their C-pools and C-fluxes is unknown. The protection of these natural resources combined with the creation of biological C-sinks might render the protection and conservation of peatland ecosystems more attractive. Water-logging leads to the accumulation of water in previously air-filled soil pores, something that might increase the C-pool of the soil. It is unknown whether the pore space, which possibly accounts for up to 90% of peatlands, contains carbon components that are similar to those found in the solid soil substance. It is also unknown how much the utilisation of peatlands affects the composition of C-components of the pore space. The major objectives of the present study were (1) to assess the temporal and spatial variability of the C-components in the pore space in fens undergoing different anthropogenic use (drainage, re-wetting) and (2) to assess the role of the pore space in the C-budget. In a Southern German area known as the Schwäbisches Donaumoos, carbon components of the gaseous phase (CO2, CH4) and the liquid phase (CO2/DIC, CH4, DOC, POC) were collected at different depths (5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80 cm) from different drained (deep, moderately) fen sites and from a long-term re-wetted fen site. Sampling was done at weekly intervals between April 2004 and April 2006. The samples of the water phase and gas phase were collected at the respective sites using slotted PVC tubes and soil-air probes. Gas was analysed using a gas chromatograph and dissolved organic carbon was analysed using a TC water analyser. The fen sites were characterised by selected static parameters of the solid substance and dynamic parameters such as redox potentials, temperature, water level, soil-moisture tension and pH value. The specific use of the fens, which is closely related to the water budget of the area, was a decisive determinant of the amounts of carbon in pore space. Although the solid soil substance in fen sites accounted for less of 10% of the total substance (solid + pores), it still contained a higher amount of carbon (60 -152 kg C m-3) than the pore space. Furthermore the amount of time that the carbon remains is eventually longer in the solid soil substance than in the pore water. Assuming the pore water works only as a short time reservoir. Filling of the pore space with either air or water had a decisive effect on the amount of C. The investigations showed that the amount of C in the air-filled pore space contained an annual average of 15 g C m-3 (deep-drained area), whereas the water-filled pore space contained on average 263 g C m-3 (re-wetted area). The variable anthropogenic effects on fens led to area-specific situations (e.g. groundwater level) that not only affected the amount of C but also had a significant effect on the composition of C components. Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), with an average proportion of 55-72%, accounted for the largest proportion of dissolved carbon. Particulate organic carbon (POC) had similar concentrations to dissolved organic carbon (DOC), whereas dissolved methane (CH4) only accounted for a minor proportion (< 0.1%) of the entire carbon of the liquid phase. The DIC concentration was highest in the water from the pores of re-wetted fen. Independent from the use of the fens, different DIC isotope signatures of the ground, karst and spring waters (-11.7‰ to -14.3‰) in comparison to the pore waters (-16.7‰ to -18.4‰) were observed. The further differentiation into the 13C ratios of CO2 contained in the gaseous phase (-23.0‰ to -26.6‰) suggests that DIC ‘accumulated’ in the pore water by way of biogenic CO2. DOC concentrations were lowest in the re-wetted fen. The temporal variability of DOC was related to changes in the bioavailability of DOC. This was also observed in the moderately drained area. The low degree of aromatisation (= higher bioavailability) associated with higher DOC concentrations led to significantly lower values in the re-wetted area compared to the moderately drained area. The microbially easily available DOC proportion was not only temporally but also spatially limited and had a significant effect on the CO2 and CH4 concentrations. At similar depths, CO2 values 10- to 1000-fold higher than CH4 levels could be measured in the gaseous phase (2.7-67 mg CO2-C l-1 vs. < 5.3 mg CH4-C l-1). The highest concentrations were measured in the re-wetted fen. The CO2-C/CH4-C ratios rarely achieved ratios of below 100:1. Due to the higher concentrations of CO2, it can be assumed that the carbon dioxide could compensate for the effect of methane on the climate, on the condition that comparable CO2-C/CH4-C ratios are found in the emissions. The protection of fens as natural resources could be related to carbon uptake (results of the gas exchange to the atmosphere) and higher carbon amounts in the pore space. The amount of time that the carbon remains in the pore waters is correlated to carbon turnover and hydrological conditions. The latter are also important when assessing the indirect emissions, playing an important role in drained fens and rounding out carbon balances.