Emission of gaseous carbon dioxide from salt-marsh sediments and its relation to other carbon losses

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Estuaries; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1352188· OSTI ID:7119931

Morris, J T; Whiting, G J

Rate of CO/sub 2/ emission from bare salt-marsh sediments in areas of short and tall form Spartina alterniflora were measured monthly for 1 yr. Maximum emission rates, as high as 325 ml CO/sub 2/ m/sup -2/ h/sup -1/, were observed during summer months, while minimum rates, 10.2 ml CO/sub 2/ m/sup -2/ h/sup -1/, were observed during the winter. An exponential function of inverse soil temperature explained most of the seasonal variability, but other factors are involved in regulating CO/sub 2/ emissions as demonstrated by rates that were higher in spring than in late summer at equivalent temperatures. Annual CO/sub 2/ emissions from bare sediments were 27.3 and 18.6 mol C m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/ in communities of short and tall S. alterniflora, respectively. It was estimated that losses of dissolved inorganic carbon from the turnover of pore water, up to 14.6 mol C m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/ at the creek bank (tall S. alterniflora) site, and diffusion of CO/sub 2/ from the root system of S. alterniflora through the culms, 12.3 to 16.2 mol C m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/, could also be important pathways of carbon loss from marsh sediments. If the internal flux of CO/sub 2/ from the root system through the culm is refixed within the leaves, then the observed rate of 9.8 ..mu..l CO/sub 2/ min/sup -1/ cm/sup -2/ of culm cross sectional area appears to make a small but significant contribution to total photosynthesis. 33 references, 7 figures, 2 tables.

• Research Organization: Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia
• OSTI ID: 7119931
• Journal Information: Estuaries; (United States), Journal Name: Estuaries; (United States) Vol. 9:1; ISSN ESTUD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON CYCLE
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DATA
DIFFUSION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GRASS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INTERSTITIAL WATER
MARSHES
MONTHLY VARIATIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SEDIMENTS
VARIATIONS
WATER
WETLANDS