2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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5/24/2021 | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | CO2 Concentration and Flux across High-Altitude Peatland-Stream Transitions of the Tropical Andes | Virtual Platform

CO2 Concentration and Flux across High-Altitude Peatland-Stream Transitions of the Tropical Andes

High-altitude tropical grasslands, known as “páramos” have some of the largest ecosystem carbon stocks per unit area on Earth. They are characterized by wetland complexes that are drained by well-defined stream channels. Despite the potential for substantial rates of aquatic CO2 flux, greenhouse gas observations in these systems are rare. We evaluated the spatial and temporal variability of dissolved CO2 (pCO2), CO2 evasion, gas transfer velocity (k), and dissolved oxygen across a peatland-stream transition of a páramo watershed. Using discrete and continuous observations, we found CO2 evasion from stream surfaces to be controlled by turbulent flow and water velocity at the peatland outlet, and by CO2 availability further downstream. Temporal variability of k was driven by rapid increases in discharge following rain events, whereas the spatial variability of k was driven by channel morphology and hydrologic conditions. Absent of rainstorms, pCO2 and CO2 evasion maxima occurred prior to or immediately after sunrise. Taken together, our results highlight the role of tropical peatlands as sources of aquatic CO2 via lateral transport, at least while hydrologic connectivity between wetlands and streams allows for the mobilization of dissolved carbon downstream.

Tropical streams and lakes
Biogeochemistry
Greenhouse gases

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Presenters/Authors

Kriddie Whitmore (), Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, kriddie@email.unc.edu;