the relationship between snow depth and soil respiration in upper montane winter environments
DESCRIPTION
The relationship between snow depth and soil respiration in upper montane winter environments. Claire Hierseman Winter Ecology Spring 2013 Mountain Research Station, University of Colorado, Boulder. Background: Literature. Soil Respiration happens in winter ( Oechel et al 1997) - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The relationship between snow depth and soil
respiration in upper montane winter environments
Claire HiersemanWinter Ecology
Spring 2013Mountain Research Station,
University of Colorado, Boulder
Background: Literature• Soil Respiration happens in winter (Oechel et
al 1997)• The differences in snow depth may relate to
differences in CO2 flux (Grogan 2012).• 40-50cm of snow insulate ground temps from
atmosphere (Larsen et al 2012).• In areas with greater than 1m of snow, the
snow depth might be more important than other factors (Grogan 2012).
Background: Field Day
What is the snow depth threshold for soil
respiration to occur, as measured by CO2 flux?
Methods
Results
LinearP=0.027ExponentialP=0.027
Results
P-value: 0.0268
One tail unpaired t-test without equal variances
Results• Controls tell an interesting
story• Suggests that snowpack
quality is important
Discussion• Linear or exponential? Linear is most
parsimonious• Threshold at approximately 30cm• Snowpack quality
Conclusions• Snow depth is likely a significant factor in the
amount of respiration that occurs• More precise manipulations should be done in
future to articulate precise threshold
Take home point• The microbes are active in winter under the
snowpack• Snowpack affects the amount of respiration
that is occurring
Works CitedGrogan, P. “Cold season respiration across a low arctic landscape: the
influence of vegetation type, snow depth, and interannual climatic variation.” Bio One 44.4 (2012): 446-456. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1657/1938-4246-44.4.446
Larsen, K., Grogan, P., Jonasson, S., and Michelsen, A. “Respiration and Microbial dynamics in two subarctic ecosystems during winter and spring thaw: effects of increased snow depth.” Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research 39.2 (2007): 28-276.
Mikan, C., Schimel, J., and Doyle, A. “Temperature controls of microbial respiration in arctic tundra soils above and below freezing.” Soil Biology and Biochemistry 34 (2002): 1785-1795.
Oechel, W., Vourlitis, G., and Hstings, S. “Cold season CO2 emissions from arctic soils.” Global Biogeochemcial Cycles 11.2 (1997): 163-172.