Root exudates and carbon emissions from tropical peatlands

Authors:
Nicholas T. Girkin, Nick Ostle, Benjamin L. Turner and Sofie Sjogersten

Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Kuching

Keywords:
methane, root-exudates, tropical, wetland

Documentfile:
ipc16p307-311a123girkinostle.etal_.pdf

Summary:

SUMMARY

Plant root exudates represent a large, labile carbon (C) input to tropical peatlands, but their contribution to methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions remain poorly understood. Peat under two contrasting vegetation types, the palm Raphia taedigera and the broadleaf evergreen tree Campnosperma panamensis, from a coastal peatland in Panama, were incubated anaerobically and received daily C additions for two weeks. C was added as a combination of three sugars or four organic acids, with the effects on CH4 and CO2 production measured over 40 days…