Emissions of CO sub(2), CH sub(4) and N sub(2)O from Southern European peatlands

• Published in: Soil biology & biochemistry Vol. 42; no. 9; pp. 1437 - 1446
• Main Authors: Danevcic, Tjasa, Mandic-Mulec, Ines, Stres, Blaz, Stopar, David, Hacin, Janez
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.09.2010
• Subjects: MED, Slovenia; Europe; Slovenia; ANE, Europe; Slovenia, Ljubljana
• ISSN: 0038-0717
• DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2010.05.004

Peatlands play an important role in emissions of the greenhouse gases CO sub(2), CH sub(4) and N sub(2)O, which are produced during mineralization of the peat organic matter. To examine the influence of soil type (fen, bog soil) and environmental factors (temperature, groundwater level), emission of CO sub(2), CH sub(4) and N sub(2)O and soil temperature and groundwater level were measured weekly or biweekly in loco over a one-year period at four sites located in Ljubljana Marsh, Slovenia using the static chamber technique. The study involved two fen and two bog soils differing in organic carbon and nitrogen content, pH, bulk density, water holding capacity and groundwater level. The lowest CO sub(2) fluxes occurred during the winter, fluxes of N sub(2)O were highest during summer and early spring (February, March) and fluxes of CH sub(4) were highest during autumn. The temporal variation in CO sub(2) fluxes could be explained by seasonal temperature variations, whereas CH sub(4) and N sub(2)O fluxes could be correlated to groundwater level and soil carbon content. The experimental sites were net sources of measured greenhouse gases except for the drained bog site, which was a net sink of CH sub(4). The mean fluxes of CO sub(2) ranged between 139 mg m super(-2) h super(-1) in the undrained bog and 206 mg m super(-2) h super(-1) in the drained fen; mean fluxes of CH sub(4) were between -0.04 mg m super(-2) h super(-1) in the drained bog and 0.05 mg m super(-2) h super(-1) in the drained fen; and mean fluxes of N sub(2)O were between 0.43 mg m super(-2) h super(-1) in the drained fen and 1.03 mg m super(-2) h super(-1) in the drained bog. These results indicate that the examined peatlands emit similar amounts of CO sub(2) and CH sub(4) to peatlands in Central and Northern Europe and significantly higher amounts of N sub(2)O.