Evapotranspiration across plant types and geomorphological units in polygonal Arctic tundra
Abstract
Coastal tundra ecosystems are relatively flat, and yet display large spatial variability in ecosystem traits. The microtopographical differences in polygonal geomorphology produce heterogeneity in permafrost depth, soil temperature, soil moisture, soil geochemistry, and plant distribution. Few measurements have been made, however, of how water fluxes vary across polygonal tundra plant types, limiting our ability to understand and model these ecosystems. In this study, our objective was to investigate how plant distribution and geomorphological location affect actual evapotranspiration (ET). These effects are especially critical in light of the rapid change polygonal tundra systems are experiencing with Arctic warming. At a field site near Barrow, Alaska, USA, we investigated the relationships between ET and plant cover in 2014 and 2015. ET was measured at a range of spatial and temporal scales using: (1) An eddy covariance flux tower for continuous landscape-scale monitoring; (2) An automated clear surface chamber over dry vegetation in a fixed location for continuous plot-scale monitoring; and (3) Manual measurements with a clear portable chamber in approximately 60 locations across the landscape. We found that variation in environmental conditions and plant community composition, driven by microtopographical features, has significant influence on ET. Among plant types, ET from moss-covered andmore »
- Authors:
-
[1];
[3];
[3];
[3];
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (United States)
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Univ. of Bristol, Bristol (United Kingdom)
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1542821
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1394317; OSTI ID: 1425426; OSTI ID: 1549908
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-18-26199
Journal ID: ISSN 0022-1694
- Grant/Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001; AC05-00OR22725; AC02-05CH11231
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Hydrology
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 553; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-1694
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Earth Sciences; Arctic tundra; Evapotranspiration; Greenhouse gases; Moss; Polygon structure; 58 GEOSCIENCES
Citation Formats
Raz-Yaseef, Naama, Young-Robertson, Jessica, Rahn, Thom, Sloan, Victoria, Newman, Brent, Wilson, Cathy, Wullschleger, Stan D., and Torn, Margaret S. Evapotranspiration across plant types and geomorphological units in polygonal Arctic tundra. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.08.036.
Raz-Yaseef, Naama, Young-Robertson, Jessica, Rahn, Thom, Sloan, Victoria, Newman, Brent, Wilson, Cathy, Wullschleger, Stan D., & Torn, Margaret S. Evapotranspiration across plant types and geomorphological units in polygonal Arctic tundra. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.08.036
Raz-Yaseef, Naama, Young-Robertson, Jessica, Rahn, Thom, Sloan, Victoria, Newman, Brent, Wilson, Cathy, Wullschleger, Stan D., and Torn, Margaret S. Thu .
"Evapotranspiration across plant types and geomorphological units in polygonal Arctic tundra". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.08.036. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1542821.
@article{osti_1542821,
title = {Evapotranspiration across plant types and geomorphological units in polygonal Arctic tundra},
author = {Raz-Yaseef, Naama and Young-Robertson, Jessica and Rahn, Thom and Sloan, Victoria and Newman, Brent and Wilson, Cathy and Wullschleger, Stan D. and Torn, Margaret S.},
abstractNote = {Coastal tundra ecosystems are relatively flat, and yet display large spatial variability in ecosystem traits. The microtopographical differences in polygonal geomorphology produce heterogeneity in permafrost depth, soil temperature, soil moisture, soil geochemistry, and plant distribution. Few measurements have been made, however, of how water fluxes vary across polygonal tundra plant types, limiting our ability to understand and model these ecosystems. In this study, our objective was to investigate how plant distribution and geomorphological location affect actual evapotranspiration (ET). These effects are especially critical in light of the rapid change polygonal tundra systems are experiencing with Arctic warming. At a field site near Barrow, Alaska, USA, we investigated the relationships between ET and plant cover in 2014 and 2015. ET was measured at a range of spatial and temporal scales using: (1) An eddy covariance flux tower for continuous landscape-scale monitoring; (2) An automated clear surface chamber over dry vegetation in a fixed location for continuous plot-scale monitoring; and (3) Manual measurements with a clear portable chamber in approximately 60 locations across the landscape. We found that variation in environmental conditions and plant community composition, driven by microtopographical features, has significant influence on ET. Among plant types, ET from moss-covered and inundated areas was more than twice that from other plant types. ET from troughs and low polygonal centers was significantly higher than from high polygonal centers. ET varied seasonally, with peak fluxes of 0.14 mm h-1 in July. Despite 24 hours of daylight in summer, diurnal fluctuations in incoming solar radiation and plant processes produced a diurnal cycle in ET. Finally, combining the patterns we observed with projections for the impact of permafrost degradation on polygonal structure suggests that microtopographic changes associated with permafrost thaw have the potential to alter tundra ecosystem ET.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.08.036},
journal = {Journal of Hydrology},
number = C,
volume = 553,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Aug 31 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Thu Aug 31 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}
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