You are here:
BIOGENIC VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSIONS (BVOCS) II. LANDSCAPE FLUX POTENTIALS FROM THREE CONTINENTAL SITES IN THE U.S.
Citation:
Helmig, D., L. Klinger, A. Guenther, L. Vierling, C D. Geron*, AND P. Zimmerman. BIOGENIC VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSIONS (BVOCS) II. LANDSCAPE FLUX POTENTIALS FROM THREE CONTINENTAL SITES IN THE U.S. CHEMOSPHERE 38(9):2189-2204, (1999).
Description:
Landscape flux potentials for biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) were derived for three ecosystems in the continental U. S. (Fernbank Forest, Atlanta, GA; Willow Creek, Rhinelander, WI; Temple Ridge, CO). Analytical data from branch enclosure measurements reported in a comparison paper included in the same journal (Helmig et al., 1999) were combined with ecological survey data for plant species composition and biomass. Other quantitative flux measurements at the leaf and landscape level were incorporated to scale the results from the enclosure measurements to the landscape level. Flux estimates were derived by using a one week ambient temperature and light record and adjusting all emission rates to these conditions with temperature and light correction algorithms at 30 min time resolution. Scaled to the landscape level, this technique allowed identification of those plant species that are responsible for the major fraction of the total BVOC landscape flux and to identify the major compounds emitted. It was found that for each of the sites investigated, a very few selected plant species contribute to the major fraction of the total emissions. Northern red oak, post oak, white oak and American beech accounted for 71% of the total BVOC emissions at the Atlanta site. Quaking aspen and Northern red oak were the dominating species at the Wisconsin site with 68% of the total emissions. At the Colorado site, Gambel oak and service berry made up 86% of the total BVOC emissions. Total daily average BVOC landscape fluxes determined by this method were 2.0, 4.5 and 2.4 mgC m-2s-1 for the Atlanta, Wisconsin and Colorado sites, respectively. The contribution of isoprene to this overall BVOC flux was calculated to be 45, 38 and 54% at the three sites, respectively. This method proved to be a valuable tool for screening a high number of plant species and for identifying the major and most important emitters for a more thorough investigation. The obtained data, the suitability of this approach and its limitation to derive BVOC fluxes on the ecosystem level are critically evaluated, and factors introducing experimental errors in the data are identified.