Carbon and nitrogen isotope studies in an arctic aquatic ecosystem
The Phase II studies of the R4D Program on stream and watershed ecology reflect the accomplishments and accumulation of baseline information obtained during the past studies. Although our rough estimates indicate that nitrogen inputs to the watershed ba lance losses, the carbon fluxes suggest that they are not in equilibrium and that there is a net loss of carbon from the tundra ecosystem through respiration and transport out of the watershed via the stream system. Radiocarbon profiles of soil sections coupled with mass transport calculations revealed that peat accumulation has essentially ceased in the R4D watershed and appears to be in ablative loss. Thus the carbon flux measurements provide validation tests for the PLANTGRO and GAS-HYDRO models of the PHASE II studies. These findings are also important in the context of global CO[sub 2] increases from positive feedback mechanisms in peatlands associated with climatic warming in the subarctic regions.
- Research Organization:
- Alaska Univ., Fairbanks, AK (United States). Water Research Center
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG06-84ER60265
- OSTI ID:
- 6597719
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/60265-5; ON: DE93010984
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CARBON ISOTOPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
NITROGEN ISOTOPES
TUNDRA
CARBON CYCLE
NITROGEN CYCLE
ALASKA
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ARCTIC REGIONS
BASELINE ECOLOGY
CARBON 14
CARBON DIOXIDE
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYOSPHERE
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGY
ECOSYSTEMS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
USA
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540330 - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)