Spatial and temporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes along a degradation gradient in a palm swamp peat forest in the Peruvian Amazon

Mauritia flexuosa palm swamp, the prevailing Peruvian Amazon peatland ecosystem, is extensively threatened by degradation. The unsustainable practice of cutting whole palms for fruit extraction modifies forest's structure and composition and eventually alters peat-derived greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We evaluated the spatiotemporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes and environmental controls along a palm swamp degradation gradient formed by one undegraded site (Intact), one moderately degraded site (mDeg) and one heavily degraded site (hDeg). Microscale variability differentiated hummocks supporting live or cut palms from surrounding hollows. Macroscale analysis considered structural changes in vegetation and soil microtopography as impacted by degradation. Variables were monitored monthly over 3 years to evaluate intra- and inter-annual variability. Degradation induced microscale changes in N2O and CH4 emission trends and controls. Site-scale average annual CH4 emissions were similar along the degradation gradient (225.6 ± 50.7, 160.5 ± 65.9 and 169.4 ± 20.7 kg C ha−1 year−1 at the Intact, mDeg and hDeg sites, respectively). Site-scale average annual N2O emissions (kg N ha−1 year−1) were lower at the mDeg site (0.5 ± 0.1) than at the Intact (1.3 ± 0.6) and hDeg sites (1.1 ± 0.4), but the difference seemed linked to heterogeneous fluctuations in soil water-filled pore space (WFPS) along the forest complex rather than to degradation. Monthly and annual emissions were mainly controlled by variations in WFPS, water table level (WT) and net nitrification for N2O; WT, air temperature and net nitrification for CH4. Site-scale N2O emissions remained steady over years, whereas CH4 emissions rose exponentially with increased precipitation. While the minor impact of degradation on palm swamp peatland N2O and CH4 fluxes should be tested elsewhere, the evidenced large and variable CH4 emissions and significant N2O emissions call for improved modeling of GHG dynamics in tropical peatlands to test their response to climate changes.

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Main Authors: Hergoualc’h, Kristell, Dezzeo, Nelda, Verchot, Louis V., Martius, Christopher, van Lent, Jeffrey, del Aguila-Pasquel, Jhon, López Gonzales, Mariela
Format: Article/Letter to editor biblioteca
Language:English
Subjects:GHG emissions, Mauritia flexuosa swamp forests, Peru, methane, nitrous oxide, peatland, tropical,
Online Access:https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/spatial-and-temporal-variability-of-soil-nsub2subo-and-chsub4sub-
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spelling dig-wur-nl-wurpubs-5733272024-12-04 Hergoualc’h, Kristell Dezzeo, Nelda Verchot, Louis V. Martius, Christopher van Lent, Jeffrey del Aguila-Pasquel, Jhon López Gonzales, Mariela Article/Letter to editor Global Change Biology 26 (2020) 10 ISSN: 1354-1013 Spatial and temporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes along a degradation gradient in a palm swamp peat forest in the Peruvian Amazon 2020 Mauritia flexuosa palm swamp, the prevailing Peruvian Amazon peatland ecosystem, is extensively threatened by degradation. The unsustainable practice of cutting whole palms for fruit extraction modifies forest's structure and composition and eventually alters peat-derived greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We evaluated the spatiotemporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes and environmental controls along a palm swamp degradation gradient formed by one undegraded site (Intact), one moderately degraded site (mDeg) and one heavily degraded site (hDeg). Microscale variability differentiated hummocks supporting live or cut palms from surrounding hollows. Macroscale analysis considered structural changes in vegetation and soil microtopography as impacted by degradation. Variables were monitored monthly over 3 years to evaluate intra- and inter-annual variability. Degradation induced microscale changes in N2O and CH4 emission trends and controls. Site-scale average annual CH4 emissions were similar along the degradation gradient (225.6 ± 50.7, 160.5 ± 65.9 and 169.4 ± 20.7 kg C ha−1 year−1 at the Intact, mDeg and hDeg sites, respectively). Site-scale average annual N2O emissions (kg N ha−1 year−1) were lower at the mDeg site (0.5 ± 0.1) than at the Intact (1.3 ± 0.6) and hDeg sites (1.1 ± 0.4), but the difference seemed linked to heterogeneous fluctuations in soil water-filled pore space (WFPS) along the forest complex rather than to degradation. Monthly and annual emissions were mainly controlled by variations in WFPS, water table level (WT) and net nitrification for N2O; WT, air temperature and net nitrification for CH4. Site-scale N2O emissions remained steady over years, whereas CH4 emissions rose exponentially with increased precipitation. While the minor impact of degradation on palm swamp peatland N2O and CH4 fluxes should be tested elsewhere, the evidenced large and variable CH4 emissions and significant N2O emissions call for improved modeling of GHG dynamics in tropical peatlands to test their response to climate changes. en application/pdf https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/spatial-and-temporal-variability-of-soil-nsub2subo-and-chsub4sub- 10.1111/gcb.15354 https://edepot.wur.nl/535701 GHG emissions Mauritia flexuosa swamp forests Peru methane nitrous oxide peatland tropical https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Wageningen University & Research
institution WUR NL
collection DSpace
country Países bajos
countrycode NL
component Bibliográfico
access En linea
databasecode dig-wur-nl
tag biblioteca
region Europa del Oeste
libraryname WUR Library Netherlands
language English
topic GHG emissions
Mauritia flexuosa swamp forests
Peru
methane
nitrous oxide
peatland
tropical
GHG emissions
Mauritia flexuosa swamp forests
Peru
methane
nitrous oxide
peatland
tropical
spellingShingle GHG emissions
Mauritia flexuosa swamp forests
Peru
methane
nitrous oxide
peatland
tropical
GHG emissions
Mauritia flexuosa swamp forests
Peru
methane
nitrous oxide
peatland
tropical
Hergoualc’h, Kristell
Dezzeo, Nelda
Verchot, Louis V.
Martius, Christopher
van Lent, Jeffrey
del Aguila-Pasquel, Jhon
López Gonzales, Mariela
Spatial and temporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes along a degradation gradient in a palm swamp peat forest in the Peruvian Amazon
description Mauritia flexuosa palm swamp, the prevailing Peruvian Amazon peatland ecosystem, is extensively threatened by degradation. The unsustainable practice of cutting whole palms for fruit extraction modifies forest's structure and composition and eventually alters peat-derived greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We evaluated the spatiotemporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes and environmental controls along a palm swamp degradation gradient formed by one undegraded site (Intact), one moderately degraded site (mDeg) and one heavily degraded site (hDeg). Microscale variability differentiated hummocks supporting live or cut palms from surrounding hollows. Macroscale analysis considered structural changes in vegetation and soil microtopography as impacted by degradation. Variables were monitored monthly over 3 years to evaluate intra- and inter-annual variability. Degradation induced microscale changes in N2O and CH4 emission trends and controls. Site-scale average annual CH4 emissions were similar along the degradation gradient (225.6 ± 50.7, 160.5 ± 65.9 and 169.4 ± 20.7 kg C ha−1 year−1 at the Intact, mDeg and hDeg sites, respectively). Site-scale average annual N2O emissions (kg N ha−1 year−1) were lower at the mDeg site (0.5 ± 0.1) than at the Intact (1.3 ± 0.6) and hDeg sites (1.1 ± 0.4), but the difference seemed linked to heterogeneous fluctuations in soil water-filled pore space (WFPS) along the forest complex rather than to degradation. Monthly and annual emissions were mainly controlled by variations in WFPS, water table level (WT) and net nitrification for N2O; WT, air temperature and net nitrification for CH4. Site-scale N2O emissions remained steady over years, whereas CH4 emissions rose exponentially with increased precipitation. While the minor impact of degradation on palm swamp peatland N2O and CH4 fluxes should be tested elsewhere, the evidenced large and variable CH4 emissions and significant N2O emissions call for improved modeling of GHG dynamics in tropical peatlands to test their response to climate changes.
format Article/Letter to editor
topic_facet GHG emissions
Mauritia flexuosa swamp forests
Peru
methane
nitrous oxide
peatland
tropical
author Hergoualc’h, Kristell
Dezzeo, Nelda
Verchot, Louis V.
Martius, Christopher
van Lent, Jeffrey
del Aguila-Pasquel, Jhon
López Gonzales, Mariela
author_facet Hergoualc’h, Kristell
Dezzeo, Nelda
Verchot, Louis V.
Martius, Christopher
van Lent, Jeffrey
del Aguila-Pasquel, Jhon
López Gonzales, Mariela
author_sort Hergoualc’h, Kristell
title Spatial and temporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes along a degradation gradient in a palm swamp peat forest in the Peruvian Amazon
title_short Spatial and temporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes along a degradation gradient in a palm swamp peat forest in the Peruvian Amazon
title_full Spatial and temporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes along a degradation gradient in a palm swamp peat forest in the Peruvian Amazon
title_fullStr Spatial and temporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes along a degradation gradient in a palm swamp peat forest in the Peruvian Amazon
title_full_unstemmed Spatial and temporal variability of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes along a degradation gradient in a palm swamp peat forest in the Peruvian Amazon
title_sort spatial and temporal variability of soil n2o and ch4 fluxes along a degradation gradient in a palm swamp peat forest in the peruvian amazon
url https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/spatial-and-temporal-variability-of-soil-nsub2subo-and-chsub4sub-
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