Carbon Sequestration in US Midwest Region and GLBRC: Lessons from the flux towers

Terenzio Zenone1

Jiquan Chen1 Mike Deal1 Burkhard Wilske1 Poonam Jasrotia2 Steve Hamilton2 Sven Bohm2 Kevin Kahmark2 G. Phil Robertson2

1Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo2W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University

GLBRC Project:

Biophysical Constraints and Resource Use Limitations for Maximizing Biofuel Production

This study is designed in collaboration with the GLBRC Sustainability Thrust 4.1 – 4.4 to address Goal 4 of the GLBRC - “to understand the attributes and mechanisms responsible for the environmental sustainability of biofuel systems”.

Our objective:

•Examine the magnitudes and dynamics of CO2 exchange , quantify the Net Ecosystem production (NEP) and soil C change at the seven “Scale-Up Fields” that have been identified at the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS);

•Investigate the biophysical regulations and resource use limitations for maximizing NEP and soil C at these sites: Vegetation characteristics, Leaf photosynthesis , Soil respiration

• Testing the new concept of Multi Resource -Uses (MRU) and use limitation Model for predict the dynamics of CO2 exchange.

Carbon fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems

Live Roots + micorrhizae

ATMOSPHERE

Plants respiration Aboveground

Litter

Labile and recalcitrant soil carbon

GPPNPP

NEP

GrossPhotosynthesis Autotrophic

respirationHeterotrophic respiration

NEE Net Ecosystem Exchange

exudates

Dead roots + micorrhizae

Microbes

Biomass harvest

Carb

on lo

sses

off

site

Fire

NBP

How we can measure net ecosystem exchange?

NEE of carbon can be directly measured using the Eddy covariance (EC) Technique

Turbulence is the chaotic and seemingly random motion of fluid parcels. Turbulence has mechanical and convective origins. Shear forces cause mechanical turbulence while buoyant instabilities (due to the intermingling of fluid parcels with different densities)causes convective turbulence. (Baldocchi 2006)

Illustration of Taylor’s Hypothesis:An eddy carrying CO2 moves at the U wind speed across the point of measurements. The fluctuation component is the change of concentration at the point of measurement.The upward air contains less CO2 due to carbon uptake by vegetation. (Valentini 2007)

How we can measure net ecosystem exchange?

EC is based on the covariance between concentration of scalars

and vertical wind velocity measurements.

' '

0

z cNEE dz w c

t

NEE of carbon can be monitored using the Eddy covariance (EC) Technique

Sonic anemometer: able to measure 3D wind speed components and sonic temperature based on sound speed measurements at high velocity (10-20 Hz)

THE EC Instruments

Carbon Dioxide and water infrared gas analyzer

3 couples of transduceru, longitudinal velocity, dx/dtv, lateral velocity, dy/dtw, vertical velocity, dz/dtSonic temperature

Infrared sourceDetector

CO2 and H20 Concentration

THE EC Instruments

Additional parameters measure

• Air temperature, relative humidity, VPD, and Rain

• Soil temperature (3 depths) & moisture (TDR)

• Short- and long-wave radiation• soil heat flux• Photosynthetic Photon Flux

Density (PAR)• Wind direction• Snow depth• Soil respiration (8 per site)• Vegetation and soil properties• Spectral properties (coming)• Root ingrowth• …

Two 165 watt solar panel to power system

Major Flux Towers in USA

Major Flux Towers in USA

GPP

High : 2.30

Low : 0

Kg C m-2

0 500250 Miles

Flux Towers in the Flux Towers in the Midwest RegionMidwest Region

Area ha Previous cultivationActual

cultivation2009

Future cultivation

2010

Site 1 17.9Field left to native prairie.

Soybean switchgrass

Site 2 13.1Field left to native prairie

Soybean Prairie

Site 3 19.5Field left to native prairie

Soybean Corn

Site 4 11.2Corn in 2008. KBS property.

Soybean Corn

Site 5 14.1Corn in 2008. KBS property.

Soybean Prairie

Site 6 23.0Corn in 2008. KBS property.

Soybean Switchgrass

Site 7 9.1 Native Prairie Bromus inermis Leyss (Poaceae)

Native Prairie Native Prairie

GLBRC scale up plots fields

Days

1/1/2009 2/1/2009 3/1/2009 4/1/2009 5/1/2009

Flu

x C

O2

um

m-2

s-1

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Preliminary Results: NEE Net Ecosystem Exchange

Carbon Loss

Carbon gain

Half hour NEE measured at KBS Native prairie site from January to May 2009

Daily temporal trend of NEE based on monthly average measured at GLRRC scale up plot field prairie

Flu

x C

O2

um

m-2

s-1

-6

-4

-2

0

2

4

January February march april may

Flu

x C

O2

um

m-2

s-1

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

January February march april may

Preliminary Results: NEE Net Ecosystem Exchange

Daily temporal trend of NEE based on monthly average measured at GLRRC scale up plot field prairie (green and white dot) and corn (black dot)

Flu

x C

O2

um

m-2

s-1

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

January February march april may

Preliminary results: NEE Net ecosystem exchange

DOY

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

NE

P g

C m

-2 d

ay-1

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

2

4

Preliminary results: NEP Net Ecosystem Production

Daily Net ecosystem Production (NEP) across the sites

Herbicide effect

02-May-09 06-May-09 10-May-09 14-May-09 18-May-09 22-May-09

CO

2 fl

ux

um

m-2 s

-1

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

Herbicide application

Effect of the Herbicide application

DOY

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130

Cu

mu

late

d N

EP

g C

m-2

da

y-1

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

Preliminary results: NEP Net ecosystem production

Carbon sequestration/emission in native prairie: effect of herbicide application and winter respiration

DOY

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130

Cu

mu

late

d N

EP

g C

m-2

day

-1

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

1.4 tons of CO2 ha-1

1.1 tons of CO2 ha-1

DOY

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130

Cu

mu

late

d N

EP

g C

m-2

da

y-1

0

10

20

30

40

Preliminary results: NEP Net ecosystem production

Carbon sequestration/emission in prior corn cultivation site

1.1 tons of CO2 ha-1

Conclusion

……….still waiting for 2009 cultivations.

Differences in winter ecosystem respiration across the sites.

Evident effect of the herbicide application.

Thanks for Your Attention

For more information please visit http://research.eeescience.utoledo.edu/lees/index.htm

Terenzio Zenone: Zenone@msu.eduJiquan Chen : Jiquan.Chen@utoledo.edu