Quantification and process analysis of biogenic trace gas fluxes

DFG FOR 562 TP 5

From 07/2008 to 11/2011

Principal Investigator: Gerhard Gebauer, Werner Borken
Staff: Steve Wunderlich

Quantification and process analysis of biogenic trace gas fluxes

Climate models predict prolonged drought periods and extreme rain events for major parts of Central Europe. Biological and chemical processes in soils are affected by the accompanying changes in water and oxygen availability. However, little is known about the effects of extreme meteorological conditions on the annual matter fluxes on ecosystem level. The overall goal of this project is to quantify the effects of drought periods, changes in the water table and subsequent rain events on the exchange of CO₂ between soil, vegetation and atmosphere in a forest and wetland ecosystem and to identify the underlying biogenic production processes. For this goal we will particularly focus on changes in concentration, fluxes and isotopic composition (¹⁴C) of CO₂ in the soil atmosphere and the soil surface. CO₂ has a great relevance for the atmosphere in terms of the greenhouse effect.