Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Temporal Coupling of Subsurface and Surface Soil CO2 Fluxes: Insights From a Nonsteady State Model and Cross-Wavelet Coherence Analysis

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017jg004207· OSTI ID:1537330
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Northern Arizona Univ., Flagstaff, AZ (United States); DOE/OSTI
  2. Lancaster Univ. (United Kingdom)
  3. Univ. of Western Sydney, NSW (Australia). Hawkesbury Inst. for the Environment
  4. Northern Arizona Univ., Flagstaff, AZ (United States)
Inferences about subsurface CO2 fluxes often rely on surface soil respiration (Rsoil) estimates because directly measuring subsurface microbial and root respiration (collectively, CO2 production, STotal), is difficult. To evaluate how well Rsoil serves as a proxy for STotal, we applied the nonsteady state DEconvolution of Temporally varying Ecosystem Carbon componenTs model (0.01-m vertical resolution), using 6-hourly data from a Wyoming grassland, in six simulations that cross three soil types (clay, sandy loam, and sandy) with two depth distributions of subsurface biota. We used cross-wavelet coherence analysis to examine temporal coherence (localized linear correlation) and offsets (lags) between STotal and Rsoil and fluxes and drivers (e.g., soil temperature and moisture). Cross-wavelet coherence revealed higher coherence between fluxes and drivers than linear regressions between concurrent variables. Soil texture and moisture exerted the strongest controls over coherence between CO2 fluxes. Coherence between CO2 fluxes in all soil types was strong at short (~1 day) and long periods (>8 days), but soil type controlled lags, and rainfall events decoupled the fluxes at periods of 1–8 days for several days in sandy soil, up to 1 week in sandy loam, and for a month or more in clay soil. Concentrating root and microbial biomass nearer the surface decreased lags in all soil types and increased coherence up to 10% in clay soil. The assumption of high temporal coherence between Rsoil and STotal is likely valid in dry, sandy soil, but may lead to underestimates of short-term STotal in semiarid grasslands with fine-grained and/or wet soil.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0006973
OSTI ID:
1537330
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 123; ISSN 2169-8953
Publisher:
American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (85)

Global patterns and controls of soil organic carbon dynamics as simulated by multiple terrestrial biosphere models: Current status and future directions: MODELING GLOBAL SOIL CARBON DYNAMICS journal June 2015
Root channel macropores enhance downward movement of water in a Mojave Desert ecosystem journal January 2002
Precipitation pulses and carbon fluxes in semiarid and arid ecosystems journal August 2004
Elevated carbon dioxide alters impacts of precipitation pulses on ecosystem photosynthesis and respiration in a semi-arid grassland journal November 2009
Disentangling root responses to climate change in a semiarid grassland journal March 2014
Integration of Process-based Soil Respiration Models with Whole-Ecosystem CO2 Measurements journal January 2008
Soil Texture Drives Responses of Soil Respiration to Precipitation Pulses in the Sonoran Desert: Implications for Climate Change journal August 2008
Antecedent Conditions Influence Soil Respiration Differences in Shrub and Grass Patches journal June 2013
The Sensitivity of Evapotranspiration to Inter-Specific Plant Neighbor Interactions: Implications for Models journal February 2017
Modeling soil CO2 emissions from ecosystems journal March 2005
Interpreting, measuring, and modeling soil respiration journal March 2005
Spatial–temporal variation in soil respiration in an oak–grass savanna ecosystem in California and its partitioning into autotrophic and heterotrophic components journal March 2005
The temperature responses of soil respiration in deserts: a seven desert synthesis journal June 2010
Temperature sensitivity of organic matter decomposition in the Arrhenius equation: some theoretical considerations journal March 2011
A framework for representing microbial decomposition in coupled climate models journal August 2011
Variability of unsaturated zone water transport parameters: implications for hydrological modelling. 1. In situ measurements journal July 1993
Carbon dioxide fluxes over a northern, semiarid, mixed-grass prairie journal July 2001
Assessing soil CO2 efflux using continuous measurements of CO2 profiles in soils with small solid-state sensors journal September 2003
A model for soil CO2 production and transport 1: journal July 1999
Seasonal variation in carbon dioxide exchange over a Mediterranean annual grassland in California journal May 2004
A model of the production and transport of CO2 in soil: predicting soil CO2 concentrations and CO2 efflux from a forest floor journal August 2004
Using the gradient method to determine soil gas flux: A review journal July 2014
Greenhouse gas emissions from soils—A review journal October 2016
Post-fire soil respiration in relation to burnt wood management in a Mediterranean mountain ecosystem journal April 2011
Recent advances in wavelet analyses: Part 1. A review of concepts journal November 2005
Cross wavelet analyses of annual continental freshwater discharge and selected climate indices journal May 2010
Sources of CO2 efflux from soil and review of partitioning methods journal March 2006
Plant-induced Changes in Soil Structure: Processes and Feedbacks journal August 1998
Effects of soil water content on soil respiration in forests and cattle pastures of eastern Amazonia journal January 2000
Soil respiration and the global carbon cycle journal January 2000
Elevated atmospheric CO 2 effects and soil water feedbacks on soil respiration components in a Colorado grassland : ELEVATED ATMOSPHERIC CO journal May 2003
How switches and lags in biophysical regulators affect spatial-temporal variation of soil respiration in an oak-grass savanna: SWITCHES, LAGS, AND SOIL RESPIRATION journal June 2006
A new method for in situ soil gas diffusivity measurement and applications in the monitoring of subsurface CO 2 production : IN SITU DIFFUSIVITY journal April 2008
Variability in carbon stable isotope ratio of heterotrophic respiration in a deciduous needle-leaf forest journal March 2008
Soil respiration in perennial grass and shrub ecosystems: Linking environmental controls with plant and microbial sources on seasonal and diel timescales: SOIL RESPIRATION IN GRASSES AND SHRUBS journal May 2008
The relative controls of temperature, soil moisture, and plant functional group on soil CO 2 efflux at diel, seasonal, and annual scales journal January 2011
Modeling of carbon dioxide transport and production in soil: 1. Model development journal February 1993
The global carbon dioxide flux in soil respiration and its relationship to vegetation and climate journal April 1992
Acceleration of global warming due to carbon-cycle feedbacks in a coupled climate model journal November 2000
Temperature sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition and feedbacks to climate change journal March 2006
Temperature-associated increases in the global soil respiration record journal March 2010
C4 grasses prosper as carbon dioxide eliminates desiccation in warmed semi-arid grassland journal August 2011
Quantifying global soil carbon losses in response to warming journal November 2016
Weaker soil carbon–climate feedbacks resulting from microbial and abiotic interactions journal November 2014
Soil carbon storage controlled by interactions between geochemistry and climate journal August 2015
Soil water content and temperature as independent or confounded factors controlling soil respiration in a temperate mixed hardwood forest journal February 1998
Permafrost carbon-climate feedbacks accelerate global warming journal August 2011
Long-term exposure to elevated CO2 enhances plant community stability by suppressing dominant plant species in a mixed-grass prairie journal October 2014
Modeling Diffusion and Reaction in Soils: ix. the Buckingham-Burdine-Campbell Equation for gas Diffusivity in Undisturbed soil journal January 1999
Seasonality of soil moisture mediates responses of ecosystem phenology to elevated CO 2 and warming in a semi-arid grassland journal August 2015
Root responses to elevated CO 2 , warming and irrigation in a semi-arid grassland: Integrating biomass, length and life span in a 5-year field experiment journal May 2018
Soil respiration under climate warming: differential response of heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration journal May 2014
Predictability of the terrestrial carbon cycle journal December 2014
Mind the gap: non-biological processes contributing to soil CO 2 efflux journal February 2015
Antecedent moisture and temperature conditions modulate the response of ecosystem respiration to elevated CO 2 and warming journal April 2015
Dynamics of soil CO 2 efflux under varying atmospheric CO 2 concentrations reveal dominance of slow processes journal May 2017
On the variability of respiration in terrestrial ecosystems: moving beyond Q10 journal February 2006
Multiscale analysis of temporal variability of soil CO 2 production as influenced by weather and vegetation journal May 2010
The Dual Arrhenius and Michaelis-Menten kinetics model for decomposition of soil organic matter at hourly to seasonal time scales journal October 2011
Are ecosystem carbon inputs and outputs coupled at short time scales? A case study from adjacent pine and hardwood forests using impulse?response analysis journal June 2007
Contrasting effects of elevated CO2 and warming on nitrogen cycling in a semiarid grassland journal May 2010
On the multi-temporal correlation between photosynthesis and soil CO2 efflux: reconciling lags and observations journal May 2011
Climate change alters stoichiometry of phosphorus and nitrogen in a semiarid grassland journal September 2012
Rapid and transient response of soil respiration to rain journal June 2004
Assessment of the soil CO 2 gradient method for soil CO 2 efflux measurements: comparison of six models in the calculation of the relative gas diffusion coefficient journal January 2010
A Practical Guide to Wavelet Analysis journal January 1998
Prolonged Dry Episodes over the Conterminous United States: New Tendencies Emerging during the Last 40 Years journal May 2008
Effects of Precipitation Increase on Soil Respiration: A Three-Year Field Experiment in Subtropical Forests in China journal July 2012
Climate Change Impacts on Streamflow and Subbasin-Scale Hydrology in the Upper Colorado River Basin journal August 2013
Warming Reduces Carbon Losses from Grassland Exposed to Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide journal August 2013
Looking deeper into the soil: biophysical controls and seasonal lags of soil CO 2 production and efflux journal September 2010
Tortuosity, Diffusivity, and Permeability in the Soil Liquid and Gaseous Phases journal January 2001
Three-Porosity Model for Predicting the Gas Diffusion Coefficient in Undisturbed Soil journal January 2004
Three-Porosity Model for Predicting the Gas Diffusion Coefficient in Undisturbed Soil journal January 2004
Development and Applications of the HYDRUS and STANMOD Software Packages and Related Codes journal January 2008
Long-Term Soil Water Dynamics in the Shortgrass Steppe journal August 1992
On the Temperature Dependence of Soil Respiration journal June 1994
Greenhouse gas emissions from soils—A review text January 2016
The global carbon dioxide flux in soil respiration and its relationship to vegetation and climate journal January 1992
Spatial and temporal variability of soil respiration in agricultural fields journal May 1991
Investigating the source, transport, and isotope composition of water vapor in the planetary boundary layer journal January 2016
Causes of variation in soil carbon simulations from CMIP5 Earth system models and comparison with observations journal January 2013
Effects of soil rewetting and thawing on soil gas fluxes: a review of current literature and suggestions for future research journal January 2012
Modeling soil CO 2 production and transport with dynamic source and diffusion terms: testing the steady-state assumption using DETECT v1.0 journal January 2018
Application of the cross wavelet transform and wavelet coherence to geophysical time series journal January 2004

Similar Records

Modeling soil CO<sub>2</sub> production and transport with dynamic source and diffusion terms: testing the steady-state assumption using DETECT v1.0
Journal Article · Sun May 27 20:00:00 EDT 2018 · Geoscientific Model Development (Online) · OSTI ID:1459713

On the multi-temporal correlation between photosynthesis and soil CO2 efflux: reconciling lags and observations.
Journal Article · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2010 · New Phytologist · OSTI ID:1035145