Abstract. Carbon dioxide exchange between the atmosphere and forested subtropical wetlands is largely unknown. Here we report a first step in characterizing this atmospheric–ecosystem carbon (C) exchange, for cypress strands and pine forests in the Greater Everglades of Florida as measured with eddy covariance methods at three locations (Cypress Swamp, Dwarf Cypress and Pine Upland) for one year. Links between water and C cycles are examined at these three sites, and methane emission measured only at the Dwarf Cypress site. Each forested wetland showed net C uptake (retained in the soil and biomass or transported laterally via overland flow) from the atmosphere monthly and annually. Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide (CO2) (difference between photosynthesis and respiration, with negative values representing net ecosystem uptake) was greatest at the Cypress Swamp (−1000 g C m-2 year-1), moderate at the Pine Upland (−900 g C m-2 year-1), and least at the Dwarf Cypress (−500 g C m-2 year-1). Methane emission was a negligible part of the C (12 g C m-2 year-1) budget when compared to NEE. However, methane (CH4) production was considerable in terms of global warming potential, as about 20 g CH4 emitted per m2 year was equivalent to about 500 g CO2 emitted per m2 year}. Changes in NEE were clearly a function of seasonality in solar insolation, air temperature and water availability from rainfall. We also note that changes in the satellite-derived enhanced-vegetation index (EVI) served as a useful surrogate for changes in net and gross atmospheric–ecosystem C exchange at these forested wetland sites.
Carbon exchange between the atmosphere and subtropical forested cypress and pine wetlands
