scholarly journals An ecosystem-scale perspective of the net land methanol flux: synthesis of micrometeorological flux measurements

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (13) ◽  
pp. 7413-7427 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Wohlfahrt ◽  
C. Amelynck ◽  
C. Ammann ◽  
A. Arneth ◽  
I. Bamberger ◽  
...  

Abstract. Methanol is the second most abundant volatile organic compound in the troposphere and plays a significant role in atmospheric chemistry. While there is consensus about the dominant role of living plants as the major source and the reaction with OH as the major sink of methanol, global methanol budgets diverge considerably in terms of source/sink estimates, reflecting uncertainties in the approaches used to model and the empirical data used to separately constrain these terms. Here we compiled micrometeorological methanol flux data from eight different study sites and reviewed the corresponding literature in order to provide a first cross-site synthesis of the terrestrial ecosystem-scale methanol exchange and present an independent data-driven view of the land–atmosphere methanol exchange. Our study shows that the controls of plant growth on production, and thus the methanol emission magnitude, as well as stomatal conductance on the hourly methanol emission variability, established at the leaf level, hold across sites at the ecosystem level. Unequivocal evidence for bi-directional methanol exchange at the ecosystem scale is presented. Deposition, which at some sites even exceeds methanol emissions, represents an emerging feature of ecosystem-scale measurements and is likely related to environmental factors favouring the formation of surface wetness. Methanol may adsorb to or dissolve in this surface water and eventually be chemically or biologically removed from it. Management activities in agriculture and forestry are shown to increase local methanol emission by orders of magnitude; however, they are neglected at present in global budgets. While contemporary net land methanol budgets are overall consistent with the grand mean of the micrometeorological methanol flux measurements, we caution that the present approach of simulating methanol emission and deposition separately is prone to opposing systematic errors and does not allow for full advantage to be taken of the rich information content of micrometeorological flux measurements.

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 2577-2613 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Wohlfahrt ◽  
C. Amelynck ◽  
C. Ammann ◽  
A. Arneth ◽  
I. Bamberger ◽  
...  

Abstract. Methanol is the second most abundant volatile organic compound in the troposphere and plays a significant role in atmospheric chemistry. While there is consensus about the dominant role of living plants as the major source and the reaction with OH as the major sink of methanol, global methanol budgets diverge considerably in terms of source/sink estimates reflecting uncertainties in the approaches used to model, and the empirical data used to separately constrain these terms. Here we compiled micrometeorological methanol flux data from eight different study sites and reviewed the corresponding literature in order to provide a first cross-site synthesis of the terrestrial ecosystem-scale methanol exchange and present an independent data-driven view of the land–atmosphere methanol exchange. Our study shows that the controls of plant growth on the production, and thus the methanol emission magnitude, and stomatal conductance on the hourly methanol emission variability, established at the leaf level, hold across sites at the ecosystem-level. Unequivocal evidence for bi-directional methanol exchange at the ecosystem scale is presented. Deposition, which at some sites even exceeds methanol emissions, represents an emerging feature of ecosystem-scale measurements and is likely related to environmental factors favouring the formation of surface wetness. Methanol may adsorb to or dissolve in this surface water and eventually be chemically or biologically removed from it. Management activities in agriculture and forestry are shown to increase local methanol emission by orders of magnitude; they are however neglected at present in global budgets. While contemporary net land methanol budgets are overall consistent with the grand mean of the micrometeorological methanol flux measurements, we caution that the present approach of simulating methanol emission and deposition separately is prone to opposing systematic errors and does not allow taking full advantage of the rich information content of micrometeorological flux measurements.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 871-889 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Potosnak ◽  
B. M. Baker ◽  
L. LeStourgeon ◽  
S. M. Disher ◽  
K. L. Griffin ◽  
...  

Abstract. Whole-system fluxes of isoprene from a moist acidic tundra ecosystem and leaf-level emission rates of isoprene from a common species (Salix pulchra) in that same ecosystem were measured during three separate field campaigns. The field campaigns were conducted during the summers of 2005, 2010 and 2011 and took place at the Toolik Field Station (68.6° N, 149.6° W) on the north slope of the Brooks Range in Alaska, USA. The maximum rate of whole-system isoprene flux measured was over 1.2 mg C m−2 h−1 with an air temperature of 22 °C and a PAR level over 1500 μmol m−2 s−1. Leaf-level isoprene emission rates for S. pulchra averaged 12.4 nmol m−2 s−1 (27.4 μg C gdw−1 h−1) extrapolated to standard conditions (PAR = 1000 μmol m−2 s−1 and leaf temperature = 30 °C). Leaf-level isoprene emission rates were well characterized by the Guenther algorithm for temperature with published coefficients, but less so for light. Chamber measurements from a nearby moist acidic tundra ecosystem with little S. pulchra emitted significant amounts of isoprene, but at lower rates (0.45 mg C m−2 h−1) suggesting other significant isoprene emitters. Comparison of our results to predictions from a global model found broad agreement, but a detailed analysis revealed some significant discrepancies. An atmospheric chemistry box model predicts that the observed isoprene emissions have a significant impact on Arctic atmospheric chemistry, including a reduction of hydroxyl radical (OH) concentrations. Our results support the prediction that isoprene emissions from Arctic ecosystems will increase with global climate change.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsti Ashworth ◽  
Serena H. Chung ◽  
Karena A. McKinney ◽  
Ying Liu ◽  
Bill J. Munger ◽  
...  

Abstract. The FORCAsT canopy exchange model was used to investigate the underlying mechanisms governing foliage emissions of methanol and acetaldehyde, two short chain oxygenated volatile organic compounds ubiquitous in the troposphere and known to have strong biogenic sources, at a northern mid-latitude forest site. The explicit representation of the vegetation canopy within the model allowed us to test the hypothesis that stomatal conductance regulates emissions of these compounds to an extent that its influence is observable at the ecosystem-scale, a process not currently considered in regional or global scale atmospheric chemistry models. We found that FORCAsT could only reproduce the magnitude and diurnal profiles of methanol and acetaldehyde fluxes measured at the top of the forest canopy at Harvard Forest if light-dependent emissions were introduced to the model. With the inclusion of such emissions FORCAsT was able to successfully simulate the observed bi-directional exchange of methanol and acetaldehyde. Although we found evidence that stomatal conductance influences methanol fluxes and concentrations at scales beyond the leaf-level, particularly at dawn and dusk, we were able to adequately capture ecosystem exchange without the addition of stomatal control to the standard parameterisations of foliage emissions, suggesting that ecosystem fluxes can be well enough represented by the emissions models currently used.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
B.D. Varpe

Phylloplane biodiversity and endophytic fungi is considered one of the rich origins of novel biological activity compounds and high-level structural variation on the leaf surface. Plant leaves surface is a diverse terrestrial ecosystem, including filamentous fungi. This study aims to study the isolation and enumeration of Sapindus mukorossi phylloplane and endophytic fungal diversity. The Sapindus mukorossi isolated 14 fungal species from 9 genera of phylloplane and endophytic fungi. Cladosporium herbarum, Penicillium expansum, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium sp., Alternaria alternate, Collectotrichum orbiculare, Torulla herbarium, Epicoccum nigrum and Candida sp. as a phylloplane fungi. Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Epicoccum nigrum. Penicillum digitatum, Penicillum sp. were identified as endophytic fungi.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 7179-7191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinmoy Sarkar ◽  
Alex B. Guenther ◽  
Jeong-Hoo Park ◽  
Roger Seco ◽  
Eliane Alves ◽  
...  

Abstract. Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are important components of the atmosphere due to their contribution to atmospheric chemistry and biogeochemical cycles. Tropical forests are the largest source of the dominant BVOC emissions (e.g. isoprene and monoterpenes). In this study, we report isoprene and total monoterpene flux measurements with a proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS) using the eddy covariance (EC) method at the Tapajós National Forest (2.857∘ S, 54.959∘ W), a primary rainforest in eastern Amazonia. Measurements were carried out from 1 to 16 June 2014, during the wet-to-dry transition season. During the measurement period, the measured daytime (06:00–18:00 LT) average isoprene mixing ratios and fluxes were 1.15±0.60 ppb and 0.55±0.71 mg C m−2 h−1, respectively, whereas the measured daytime average total monoterpene mixing ratios and fluxes were 0.14±0.10 ppb and 0.20±0.25 mg C m−2 h−1, respectively. Midday (10:00–14:00 LT) average isoprene and total monoterpene mixing ratios were 1.70±0.49 and 0.24±0.05 ppb, respectively, whereas midday average isoprene and monoterpene fluxes were 1.24±0.68 and 0.46±0.22 mg C m−2 h−1, respectively. Isoprene and total monoterpene emissions in Tapajós were correlated with ambient temperature and solar radiation. Significant correlation with sensible heat flux, SHF (r2=0.77), was also observed. Measured isoprene and monoterpene fluxes were strongly correlated with each other (r2=0.93). The MEGAN2.1 (Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature version 2.1) model could simulate most of the observed diurnal variations (r2=0.7 to 0.8) but declined a little later in the evening for both isoprene and total monoterpene fluxes. The results also demonstrate the importance of site-specific vegetation emission factors (EFs) for accurately simulating BVOC fluxes in regional and global BVOC emission models.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (20) ◽  
pp. 4051-4064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Jiskra ◽  
Jeroen E. Sonke ◽  
Yannick Agnan ◽  
Detlev Helmig ◽  
Daniel Obrist

Abstract. The tundra plays a pivotal role in the Arctic mercury (Hg) cycle by storing atmospheric Hg deposition and shuttling it to the Arctic Ocean. A recent study revealed that 70 % of the atmospheric Hg deposition to the tundra occurs through gaseous elemental mercury (GEM or Hg(0)) uptake by vegetation and soils. Processes controlling land–atmosphere exchange of Hg(0) in the Arctic tundra are central, but remain understudied. Here, we combine Hg stable isotope analysis of Hg(0) in the atmosphere, interstitial snow air, and soil pore air, with Hg(0) flux measurements in a tundra ecosystem at Toolik Field Station in northern Alaska (USA). In the dark winter months, planetary boundary layer (PBL) conditions and Hg(0) concentrations were generally stable throughout the day and small Hg(0) net deposition occurred. In spring, halogen-induced atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDEs) occurred, with the fast re-emission of Hg(0) after AMDEs resulting in net emission fluxes of Hg(0). During the short snow-free growing season in summer, vegetation uptake of atmospheric Hg(0) enhanced atmospheric Hg(0) net deposition to the Arctic tundra. At night, when PBL conditions were stable, ecosystem uptake of atmospheric Hg(0) led to a depletion of atmospheric Hg(0). The night-time decline of atmospheric Hg(0) was concomitant with a depletion of lighter Hg(0) isotopes in the atmospheric Hg pool. The enrichment factor, ε202Hgvegetationuptake=-4.2 ‰ (±1.0 ‰) was consistent with the preferential uptake of light Hg(0) isotopes by vegetation. Hg(0) flux measurements indicated a partial re-emission of Hg(0) during daytime, when solar radiation was strongest. Hg(0) concentrations in soil pore air were depleted relative to atmospheric Hg(0) concentrations, concomitant with an enrichment of lighter Hg(0) isotopes in the soil pore air, ε202Hgsoilair-atmosphere=-1.00 ‰ (±0.25 ‰) and E199Hgsoilair-atmosphere=0.07 ‰ (±0.04 ‰). These first Hg stable isotope measurements of Hg(0) in soil pore air are consistent with the fractionation previously observed during Hg(0) oxidation by natural humic acids, suggesting abiotic oxidation as a cause for observed soil Hg(0) uptake. The combination of Hg stable isotope fingerprints with Hg(0) flux measurements and PBL stability assessment confirmed a dominant role of Hg(0) uptake by vegetation in the terrestrial–atmosphere exchange of Hg(0) in the Arctic tundra.


2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 1180-1199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonin Machac

Abstract Three prominent explanations have been proposed to explain the dramatic differences in species richness across regions and elevations, (i) time for speciation, (ii) diversification rates, and (iii) ecological limits. But the relative importance of these explanations and, especially, their interplay and possible synthesis remain largely elusive. Integrating diversification analyses, null models, and geographic information systems, I study avian richness across regions and elevations of the New World. My results reveal that even though the three explanations are differentially important (with ecological limits playing the dominant role), each contributes uniquely to the formation of richness gradients. Further, my results reveal the likely interplay between the explanations. They indicate that ecological limits hinder the diversification process, such that the accumulation of species within a region gradually slows down over time. Yet, it does not seem to converge toward a hard ceiling on regional richness. Instead, species-rich regions show suppressed, but continued, diversification, coupled with signatures of possible competition (esp. Neotropical lowlands). Conversely, species-poor, newly-colonized regions show fast diversification and weak to no signs of competition (esp. Nearctic highlands). These results held across five families of birds, across grid cells, biomes, and elevations. Together, my findings begin to illuminate the rich, yet highly consistent, interplay of the mechanisms that together shape richness gradients in the New World, including the most species-rich biodiversity hotspots on the planet, the Andes and the Amazon. [Biogeography; community; competition; macroevolution; phylogenetics; richness gradient.]


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2703-2728 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Flechard ◽  
E. Nemitz ◽  
R. I. Smith ◽  
D. Fowler ◽  
A. T. Vermeulen ◽  
...  

Abstract. Inferential models have long been used to determine pollutant dry deposition to ecosystems from measurements of air concentrations and as part of national and regional atmospheric chemistry and transport models, and yet models still suffer very large uncertainties. An inferential network of 55 sites throughout Europe for atmospheric reactive nitrogen (Nr) was established in 2007, providing ambient concentrations of gaseous NH3, NO2, HNO3 and HONO and aerosol NH4+ and NO3− as part of the NitroEurope Integrated Project. Network results providing modelled inorganic Nr dry deposition to the 55 monitoring sites are presented, using four existing dry deposition routines, revealing inter-model differences and providing ensemble average deposition estimates. Dry deposition is generally largest over forests in regions with large ambient NH3 concentrations, exceeding 30–40 kg N ha−1 yr−1 over parts of the Netherlands and Belgium, while some remote forests in Scandinavia receive less than 2 kg N ha−1 yr−1. Turbulent Nr deposition to short vegetation ecosystems is generally smaller than to forests due to reduced turbulent exchange, but also because NH3 inputs to fertilised, agricultural systems are limited by the presence of a substantial NH3 source in the vegetation, leading to periods of emission as well as deposition. Differences between models reach a factor 2–3 and are often greater than differences between monitoring sites. For soluble Nr gases such as NH3 and HNO3, the non-stomatal pathways are responsible for most of the annual uptake over many surfaces, especially the non-agricultural land uses, but parameterisations of the sink strength vary considerably among models. For aerosol NH4+ and NO3− discrepancies between theoretical models and field flux measurements lead to much uncertainty in dry deposition rates for fine particles (0.1–0.5 μm). The validation of inferential models at the ecosystem scale is best achieved by comparison with direct long-term micrometeorological Nr flux measurements, but too few such datasets are available, especially for HNO3 and aerosol NH4+ and NO3−.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 206-213
Author(s):  
Osbert Uyovwieyovwe Isiorhovoja

Heuristically, the paper seeks to understand the religious perception of Africans otherwise regarded as the indigenous people and their contact with the missionary message. It adopts a historical, hermeneutical, and critical interpretation of some preconceived ideas about Africans as well as their reactions to the gospel message. It discovers that the introduction of the faith was done with clear intentions; slavery and economic exploitation, prejudices, and hence the demeaning attitude and bastardisation of the rich socio-cultural background of the people. However, the wisdom of the continent paved the way for the accommodation of messages. The paper concludes by recommending the following as some of the way forward: the messenger bearing the message should seek to know the socio-cultural background of African tradition, the Jesus’ attitude of non-condemnation should be adopted as a global standard for all missionary volunteers to present-day Africa in order to put on record the right perspective about the people and lastly, African charismatic which has played a dominant role in the daily lives of the people has been enculturated into the life of the churches in Africa as evidenced in the dance pattern and gospel music, these should be greatly encouraged.


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