scienceofwetlands

Physical and Biotic Processes affecting Carbon Cycling in Prairie Wetlands: 

Physical and Biotic Processes affecting Carbon Cycling in Prairie Wetlands

What are the major components related to group topic?: 

What are the major components related to group topic? INPUTS OUTPUTS STORAGE

What do we know about each component?: 

What do we know about each component? What are the priority research needs?

INPUTS - What do we know?: 

INPUTS - What do we know? Gas: Photosynthesis (CO2) Algae work (St. Denis, SK, Delta Marsh, MB) Macrophytes (Variety of sources)

INPUTS - What do we know?: 

INPUTS - What do we know? Solids: Particulate (POC) Deposition (dust, water/soil erosion, animal) More information required

INPUTS - What do we know?: 

INPUTS - What do we know? Dissolved: Water inputs: surface/ground water (DOC/DIC, Nitrogen) DOC (St. Denis, SK), Nitrogen (Crumpton, Iowa), DIC ? (possibly available)

OUTPUTS - What do we know?: 

OUTPUTS - What do we know? Gas: Respiration, de/nitrification (N20, CH4, CO2) Big unknown for CH4, CO2, N20 work in U.S. / Europe Photochemical breakdown (Bicarbonate, CO2) Unknown

OUTPUTS - What do we know?: 

OUTPUTS - What do we know? Solids: Harvesting of vegetation Rough #’s on hay cropping, back flooding otherwise unknown

OUTPUTS - What do we know?: 

OUTPUTS - What do we know? Dissolved: Water outputs: surface/ground water (DOC/DIC) Surface (some information available), ground (possible?)

Modifiers of Carbon Storage: 

Modifiers of Carbon Storage Wetland Class Vegetative Zone Depth into sediment North / South Latitudinal gradient Salinity Climate Cycles Temperature Hydrology Land-Use (N/P availability) Toxicants (i.e. pesticides)

STORAGE - What do we know?: 

STORAGE - What do we know? On a Larger Scale: Inventory of wetlands lost (where/what classes) Restoration, Creation, Wetland Complexes (4 and 5’s) What is the storage capacity (?)

STORAGE - What do we know?: 

STORAGE - What do we know? On a Smaller Scale: Some info is available – is it representative to all situations? Do we have the methods standardized and are they suitable? Make sure it can extrapolate to the landscape scale Difference between autochthonous/allochthonous carbon Measurement of the carbon pool in the soil and litter column

How critical are these research needs in making recommendations re:prairie wetlands as carbon sinks?: 

How critical are these research needs in making recommendations re:prairie wetlands as carbon sinks? This will be addressed in the next break out session

Slide14: 

Definition to be addressed: Sequestration: Storage or Flux?

Kyoto WetlandChanges since 1990: 

Kyoto Wetland Changes since 1990 Inventory Inventory of potential restoration / creation Storage Define storage values and extrapolate to a 5-year period

Conclusion: : 

Conclusion: There is some information available that we’ve identified ... and … What we do have to date could be used to facilitate a trial modeling exercise

Physical and Biotic Processes affecting Carbon Cycling in Prairie WetlandsPart Two: 

Physical and Biotic Processes affecting Carbon Cycling in Prairie Wetlands Part Two

Based on “Kyoto Wetland” 2008 - 2012: 

Based on “Kyoto Wetland” 2008 - 2012 Prairie wetlands Previous state degraded or in agricultural practice 1. Restored or created 2. Drained

Net Carbon Storage/Gain Through Restoration?: 

Net Carbon Storage/Gain Through Restoration? At Site Level: Yes (confident) At Landscape Level: Yes

Should we keep wetlands on the Kyoto table now?: 

Should we keep wetlands on the Kyoto table now? Yes (confident)!

Recommendations: 

Recommendations We must consider whole landscapes, including uplands, riparian zones, as well as the wetlands. We must recognize that the impacts of climate change need to be considered in modelling exercises.

Recommendations: 

Recommendations Inventory Needs wetlands rate of drainage rate of restoration/creation

Recommendations: 

Recommendations Research Needs gas exchange studies wetland/riparian interaction total carbon stores in the soil/litter column Total Carbon Budget

Impediments to Achieving Research Goals: 

Impediments to Achieving Research Goals Funding Funding Funding Difficulty with U.S./Canadian collaboration

How do we overcome these impediments?: 

How do we overcome these impediments? Raise profile of prairie region (public and political) Continue with Options Paper: Wetlands Chapter Emphasize the broad range of values that create win-win situations

How do we overcome these impediments?: 

How do we overcome these impediments? High level political lobbying International scientific cooperation Interagency cooperation

Our Final Word?: 

Our Final Word? Yes and Yes