Gross Ecosystem Productivity Dominates the Control of Ecosystem Methane Flux in Rice Paddies

Although rice paddy fields are one of the world’s largest anthropogenic sources of methane CH4, the budget of ecosystem CH4 and its’ controls in rice paddies remain unclear. Here, we analyze seasonal dynamics of direct ecosystem-scale measurements of CH4 flux in a rice-wheat rotation agroecosystem over 3 consecutive years. Results showed that the averaged CO2 uptakes and CH4 emissions in rice seasons were 2.2 and 20.9 folds of the wheat seasons, respectively. In sum, the wheat-rice rotation agroecosystem acted as a large net C sink (averaged 460.79 g C m−2) and a GHG (averaged 174.38 g CO2eq m−2) source except for a GHG sink in one year (2016) with a very high rice seeding density. While the linear correlation between daily CH4 fluxes and gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) was not significant for the whole rice season, daily CH4 fluxes were significantly correlated to daily GEP both before (R2: 0.52–0.83) and after the mid-season drainage (R2: 0.71–0.79). Furthermore, the F partial test showed that GEP was much greater than that of any other variable including soil temperature for the rice season in each year. Meanwhile, the parameters of the best-fit functions between daily CH4 fluxes and GEP shifted between rice growth stages. This study highlights that GEP is a good predictor of daily CH4 fluxes in rice paddies.

Soil respiration of a Moso bamboo forest significantly affected by gross ecosystem productivity and leaf area index in an extreme drought event

Moso bamboo has large potential to alleviate global warming through carbon sequestration. Since soil respiration (Rs) is a major source of CO2 emissions, we analyzed the dynamics of soil respiration (Rs) and its relation to environmental factors in a Moso bamboo (Phllostachys heterocycla cv. pubescens) forest to identify the relative importance of biotic and abiotic drivers of respiration. Annual average Rs was 44.07 t CO2 ha−1 a−1. Rs correlated significantly with soil temperature (P < 0.01), which explained 69.7% of the variation in Rs at a diurnal scale. Soil moisture was correlated significantly with Rs on a daily scale except not during winter, indicating it affected Rs. A model including both soil temperature and soil moisture explained 93.6% of seasonal variations in Rs. The relationship between Rs and soil temperature during a day showed a clear hysteresis. Rs was significantly and positively (P < 0.01) related to gross ecosystem productivity and leaf area index, demonstrating the significance of biotic factors as crucial drivers of Rs.

Ecological responses of Stipa steppe in Inner Mongolia to experimentally increased temperature and precipitation. 4. Carbon exchange

Aspects of carbon exchange were investigated in typical steppe east of Xilinhot city in Inner Mongolia. Four treatments with four replicates were imposed in a randomised block design: Control (C), warming (T), increased precipitation (P) and combined warming and increased precipitation (TP). Increased precipitation significantly increased both ecosystem respiration (ER) and soil respiration (SR) rates. Warming significantly reduced the ER rate but not the SR rate. The combination of increased precipitation and warming produced an intermediate response. The sensitivity of ER and SR to soil temperature and air temperature was assessed by calculating Q10 values: the increase in respiration for a 10°C increase in temperature. Q10 was lowest under T and TP, and highest under P. Both ER and SR all had significantly positive correlation with soil moisture. Increased precipitation increased net ecosystem exchange and gross ecosystem productivity, whereas warming reduced them. The combination of warming and increased precipitation had an intermediate effect. Both net ecosystem exchange and gross ecosystem productivity were positively related to soil moisture and negatively related to soil and air temperature. These findings suggest that predicted climate change in this region, involving both increased precipitation and warmer temperatures, will increase the net ecosystem exchange in the Stipa steppe meaning that the ecosystem will fix more carbon.

Ecological responses of Stipa steppe in Inner Mongolia to experimentally increased temperature and precipitation 5: Synthesis and implications

A randomised block experiment was conducted to study the response of plant community characteristics (biomass, density and diversity) and ecosystem carbon exchange processes to warming, increased precipitation and their combination on Stipa steppe in Inner Mongolia. Increased precipitation enhanced the effect that warming had in promoting community diversity and biomass. Increased precipitation directly increased net ecosystem exchange and gross ecosystem productivity, although ecosystem respiration and soil respiration also increased. However, warming did not have a significant effect on net ecosystem exchange and gross ecosystem productivity, whereas ecosystem respiration and soil respiration were significantly decreased by warming. All carbon flux processes had a significantly positive correlation with soil moisture. However, the carbon sequestration processes, gross ecosystem productivity and net ecosystem exchange, were significantly negatively correlated with temperature, contrary to carbon emission processes, soil respiration and ecosystem respiration. Results suggest that Stipa steppe may be benefited by future climate change, as the predicted precipitation is increasing with warming in Inner Mongolia. However, it is hard to predict the feedback of Stipa steppe to climate, because of the uncertainty in magnitude and temporal dynamics of climate change. To reveal the mechanism of the observed responses, further studies are suggested in this region on the effects of altered climate variables on plant species interactions, soil organic carbon composition, soil extracellular enzyme activity, microbial biomass and microbial respiration.

Dependence of spectral characteristics on parameters describing CO2 exchange between crop species and the atmosphere

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that spectral vegetation indices are good indicators of parameters describing the intensity of CO2exchange between crops and the atmosphere. Measurements were conducted over 2011-2013 on plots of an experimental arable station on winter wheat, winter rye, spring barley, and potatoes. CO2fluxes were measured using the dynamic closed chamber system, while spectral vegetation indices were determined using SKYE multispectral sensors. Based on spectral data collected in 2011 and 2013, various models to estimate net ecosystem productivity and gross ecosystem productivity were developed. These models were then verified based on data collected in 2012. The R2for the best model based on spectral data ranged from 0.71 to 0.83 and from 0.78 to 0.92, for net ecosystem productivity and gross ecosystem productivity, respectively. Such high R2values indicate the utility of spectral vegetation indices in estimating CO2fluxes of crops. The effects of the soil background turned out to be an important factor decreasing the accuracy of the tested models.