Quantification and process analysis of biogenic trace gas fluxes

DFG FOR 562 TP 5

From 04/2008 to 12/2012

Principal Investigator: Gerhard Gebauer, Werner Borken
Staff: Julia Köpp

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 the trace gases CO₂, CH₄, N₂O and NO between soil, vegetation and atmosphere in a forest and wetland ecosystem and to identify the underlying biogenic production and consumption processes. For this goal we will particularly focus on changes in concentration, fluxes and isotopic composition (¹⁴C, ¹³C, ¹⁵N and ¹⁸O) of CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O in the soil atmosphere and the soil surface. These gases have a great relevance for the atmosphere in terms of the greenhouse effect.

Homepage: biogenic trace gas fluxes

List of publications of this Project

Palmer, K; Köpp, J; Gebauer, G; Horn, MA: Drying-rewetting and flooding impact denitrifier activity rather than community structure in a moderately acidic fen., Frontiers in Microbiology, 7, 727 (2016), doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.00727 -- Details