Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Sustainable Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #406736
Research Project: Development of Best Management Practices, Tools, and Technologies to Optimize Water Use Efficiency and Improve Water Distribution in the Lower Mississippi River Basin

Location: Sustainable Water Management Research

Title: On the relationship between aquatic CO2 concentration and ecosystem fluxes in some of the world’s key wetland types

Author
item TURNER, J - University Of Wisconsin
item DESAI, A - University Of Wisconsin
item THOM, J - University Of Wisconsin
item LINDGREN, K - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences
item LAUDON, H - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences
item PEICHL, M - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences
item NILSSON, M - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences
item CAMPEAU, A - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences
item JARVEOJA, J - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences
item HAWMAN, P - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Wetlands
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2023
Publication Date: 12/5/2023
Citation: Turner, J.L., Desai, A.R., Thom, J., Lindgren, K., Laudon, H., Peichl, M., Nilsson, M., Campeau, A., Jarveoja, J., Hawman, P. 2023. On the relationship between aquatic CO2 concentration and ecosystem fluxes in some of the world’s key wetland types. Wetlands. 44(1);20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-023-01751-x.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-023-01751-x

Interpretive Summary: Daily average GPP is positively correlated with the biologically-derived portion of dissolved CO2 in surface and porewater at some fen and marsh wetlands. Discharge does not appear to consistently impact the strength of correlation between lateral and vertical CO2 flux. Numerous other factors (e.g., air temperature, salinity, tide direction, etc.) likely influence wetland dissolved CO2 concentrations, making fluctuations in dissolved CO2 difficult to understand or perhaps, predict. Further research on lateral CO2 exchange in different wetland types with large, continuous datasets is crucial to identify patterns in the relationship between lateral and vertical wetland CO2 flux. These patterns and relationships are critical in determining carbon storage and natural CO2 sequestration within these environments.

Technical Abstract: To understand patterns in CO2 partial pressure (PCO2) over time in wetlands’ water, we examined the relationship between PCO2 and land-atmosphere flux of CO2 at the ecosystem scale at 22 Northern Hemisphere wetland sites synthesized through an open call. Sites spanned 6 major wetland types (tidal, alpine, fen, bog, marsh, and prairie pothole/karst), 7 Köppen climates, and 16 different years. Ecosystem respiration (Reco) and gross primary production (GPP), components of vertical CO2 flux, were compared to PCO2, a component of lateral CO2 flux, to determine if photosynthetic rates and soil respiration consistently influence wetland surface and porewater CO2 concentrations across wetlands. Similar to drivers of primary productivity at the ecosystem scale, PCO2 was strongly positively correlated with air temperature (Tair) at most sites. Monthly average PCO2 tended to peak towards the middle of the year and was more strongly related to Reco than GPP. Our results suggest Reco may be related to biologically driven PCO2 in wetlands, but the relationship is site-specific and could be an artifact of differently timed seasonal cycles or other factors. Higher levels of discharge do not consistently alter the relationship between Reco and temperature-normalized PCO2. This work synthesizes relevant data and identifies key knowledge gaps in drivers of wetland respiration.