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Carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in boreal peatland microcosms with different vegetation cover—effects of ozone or ultraviolet-B exposure

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Abstract

O3 concentrations in the troposphere are rising and those in the stratosphere decreasing, the latter resulting in higher fluxes of solar ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation to the earth's surface. We assessed whether the fluxes of CO2 and CH4 are altered by enhanced UV-B radiation or elevated tropospheric O3 concentrations in boreal peatland microcosms (core depth 40 cm, diameter 10.5 cm) with different vegetation cover. At the end of the UV-B experiment which lasted for a growing season, net CO2 exchange (NEE) and dark ecosystem respiration (R TOT) were sevenfold higher, and CH4 efflux 12-fold higher, in microcosms with intact vegetation dominated by Eriophorum vaginatum L. and Sphagnum spp., compared to microcosms from which we removed E. vaginatum. Vegetation treatment had minor effects on CH4 production and consumption potentials in the peat, suggesting that the large difference in CH4 efflux is mainly due to efficient CH4 transport via the aerenchyma of E. vaginatum. Ambient UV-B supplemented with 30% and elevated O3 concentrations (100 and 200 ppb, for 7 weeks) significantly increased R TOT in both vegetation treatments. Elevated O3 concentrations reduced NEE over time, while UV-B had no clear effects on the fluxes of CO2 or CH4 in the cloudy summer of the study. Field experiments are needed to assess the significance of increasing UV-B radiation and elevated tropospheric O3 concentration on peatland gas exchange in the long-term.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Ulla Kääriäinen for gas analyses and maintenance of the exposure systems, Hannu Koponen for assistance in the laboratory incubations, and Timo Oksanen for calculating the exposure data. This research was supported by the Academy of Finland (projects 39465 and 48798) and the Kone Foundation.

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  1. Riikka Rinnan

    Present address: Botanical Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2D, 1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, University of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Riikka Rinnan, Miia Impiö & Toini Holopainen

  2. Department of Biology, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, 80101, Joensuu, Finland

    Jouko Silvola

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences, Bioteknia 2, University of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Pertti J. Martikainen

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  1. Riikka Rinnan
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Correspondence to Riikka Rinnan.

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Rinnan, R., Impiö, M., Silvola, J. et al. Carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in boreal peatland microcosms with different vegetation cover—effects of ozone or ultraviolet-B exposure. Oecologia 137, 475–483 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-003-1366-5

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