Authors:
Anke Günther, Gerald Jurasinski, Vytas Huth, Stephan Glatzel
Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress
Venue:
Stockholm
Keywords:
carex, fen, par, phragmites, typha
Documentfile:
Günther et al 2012: Opaque Closed Chambers Bias Methane Measurements of Convective Plants
Summary:
Theme X. Peatland carbon budgets and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes
SUMMARY
Commonly, closed chamber measurements for methane and nitrous oxide emission estimation are carried out with opaque chambers. However, some plants possess an internal convective gas transport which quickly responds to changes in irradiation. We compare methane fluxes derived from transparent versus opaque chambers on Carex-, Phragmites-, and Typha-dominated stands. Transparent chamber fluxes almost doubled opaque chamber fluxes at the Phragmites stand. For Carex and Typha, transparent and opaque chamber fluxes did not differ significantly. Thus, opaque chambers bias the outcome of methane measurements depending on dominant vegetation. We recommend the use of transparent chambers when determining emissions of convective plants or extrapolating fluxes to larger scales.