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Practical Guide to Measuring Wetland Carbon Pools and Fluxes
Citation:
Bansal, S., I. Creed, B. Tangen, S. Bridgham, A. Desai, K. Krauss, S. Neubauer, G. Noe, D. Rosenberry, C. Trettin, K. Wickland, S. Allen, A. Arias-Ortiz, A. Armitage, D. Baldocchi, K. Banerjee, D. Bastviken, P. Berg, M. Bogard, A. Chow, W. Conner, C. Craft, C. Creamer, T. DelSontro, J. Duberstein, M. Eagle, M. Fennessy, S. Finkelstein, M. Gockede, S. Grunwald, M. Halabisky, E. Herbert, M. Jahangir, O. Johnson, M. Jones, J. Kelleway, S. Knox, K. Kroeger, K. Kuehn, D. Lobb, A. Loder, S. Ma, D. Maher, G. McNicol, J. Meier, B. Middleton, C. Mills, P. Mistry, A. Mitra, C. Mobilian, A. Nahlik, S. Newman, J. O'Connell, P. Oikawa, AND M. Post van der Burg. Practical Guide to Measuring Wetland Carbon Pools and Fluxes. WETLANDS. The Society of Wetland Scientists, McLean, VA, 43:105, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-023-01722-2
Impact/Purpose:
Wetlands are one of the most influential natural ecosystems to climate change, as they store vast amounts of carbon (i.e., are carbon sinks) but also release carbon as carbon dioxide and methane through respiration and methanogenesis. The processes that affect carbon cycling in wetlands is complex and dynamic, and guidance for measuring carbon pools and fluxes in wetlands is limited. This publication is the result of an international effort to compile the decades of knowledge about wetland carbon methods into a single document. Dr. Sheel Bansal (U.S. Geological Survey) organized over 50 wetland carbon experts from around the world, including Dr. Amanda M. Nahlik (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PESD), to summarize both well-established and cutting-edge approaches for sampling wetland carbon pools and fluxes. In addition to defining each of the major wetland carbon pools and fluxes, their importance to wetland carbon dynamics is explained. For each sampling approach covered, the component of wetland carbon being measured is defined, considerations of where and when to sample are provided, the expertise needed to sample is outlined, and how to sample (i.e., methods) are detailed. This review paper is a comprehensive primer of wetland carbon methods that can be used by current and future wetland researchers and managers to guide their understanding of wetland carbon cycles and how to quantify them.
Description:
Wetlands cover a small portion of the world, but have disproportionate influence on global carbon (C) sequestration, carbon dioxide and methane emissions, and aquatic C fluxes. However, the underlying biogeochemical processes that affect wetland C pools and fluxes are complex and dynamic, making measurements of wetland C challenging. Over decades of research, many observational, experimental, and analytical approaches have been developed to understand and quantify pools and fluxes of wetland C. Sampling approaches range in their representation of wetland C from short to long timeframes and local to landscape spatial scales. This review summarizes common and cutting-edge methodological approaches for quantifying wetland C pools and fluxes. We first define each of the major C pools and fluxes and provide rationale for their importance to wetland C dynamics. For each approach, we clarify what component of wetland C is measured and its spatial and temporal representativeness and constraints. We describe practical considerations for each approach, such as where and when an approach is typically used, who can conduct the measurements (expertise, training requirements), and how approaches are conducted, including considerations on equipment complexity and costs. Finally, we review key covariates and ancillary measurements that enhance the interpretation of findings and facilitate model development. The protocols that we describe to measure soil, water, vegetation, and gases are also relevant for related disciplines such as ecology. Improved quality and consistency of data collection and reporting across studies will help reduce global uncertainties and develop management strategies to use wetlands as nature-based climate solutions.
