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How CO 2 Respiration Near the Mountain Research Station Relates to Climate Change

How CO 2 Respiration Near the Mountain Research Station Relates to Climate Change. By: Sara Crepinsek EBIO 4100 Spring 2010 Mountain Research Station, University of Colorado, Boulder. – Winter Ecology. Introduction. Global Climate Change How microbs may be affected by snowpack depth

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How CO 2 Respiration Near the Mountain Research Station Relates to Climate Change

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  1. How CO2 Respiration Near the Mountain Research Station Relates to Climate Change By: Sara Crepinsek EBIO 4100 Spring 2010 Mountain Research Station, University of Colorado, Boulder – Winter Ecology

  2. Introduction • Global Climate Change • How microbs may be affected by snowpack depth • Temperature/precipitation trends

  3. Question Are CO2 respiration levels determined by the amount of snow pack above the soil as well as the precipitation and temperature amounts around the area?

  4. Methods/Data Collection • Snow pits dug near C-1 site • Snow pits dug near Mountain Research Station • Snow depths range from 3-70 cm • Search for variation in snow depths for sites • CO2 fluxes range from 1.5-16 ppm

  5. Methods: Calculations Mean Slopes 8 Mean R2 0.998185 SD 1.979898987 SE 1.4 Graphed Data Points Trendline and Equation Function Calculations

  6. Compilation of Snow Depth and CO2 Flux Data

  7. Summary of Snow Depth Data • Increased respiration with increased snow depth • Almost linear growth of CO2 flux with snow depth • Possible source of error at one of the sites

  8. Climatological Snow Water Equivalent Data of Niwot Station (Feb-April)(Natural Resources Conservation Services, 2010)

  9. C-1 Annual Precipitation Summary Data(Mountain Research Station, 2010)

  10. Summary of Precipitation Data • Snotel data: Only available for months Feb-April (Natural Resources Conservation Services, 2010) • Shows no significant increase/decrease • C-1 data: Annual data compilation (Mountain Research Station, 2010) • Shows no significant increase/decrease

  11. C-1 Annual Air Temperature Summary Data(Mountain Research Station, (2010)

  12. Average Soil Temperatures vs. CO2 Flux

  13. Summary of Temperature Data C-1 data: Air temperature has been increasing since 1952 (Mountain Research Station, 2010) Soil Temp data: No significant relationship between soil temp/CO2 flux and soil temp/snow depth

  14. Results • There was an increase in CO2 flux with increased snow depth • No significant change in the amount of precipitation occurring near sites • Increase of air temperature near sites • Therefore, air temperature is a concern since temperature affects snow depth • Soil temperature data not significant enough to have an affect on the focus of my data

  15. Discussion: Snow Depth Data vs. CO2 Flux • Winter CO2 flux is dependent upon snow depth • More analysis regarding global climate change and long term affects on snow depth and CO2 flux under the snow pack • Assessment of air and soil temperature changes in the area may help in analysis

  16. Discussion: Precipitation vs. CO2 Flux • Snotel data shows no increase/decrease in snow water equivalent data for the years 1966-2008 • MRS data showed no significant signs of increase/decrease precipitation but possibly still affects snow depth • More analysis needed since temp and precip relate to each other • If one increases, should the other decrease/increase? • Other data shows that ‘nutrient cycling activity’ is in relation to the amount of ‘snow cover’ on the ground during the season (Groffman et al, 2009)

  17. Discussion: Air/Soil Temperature vs. CO2 Flux • Air temperatures have been increasing since 1952 • Chaotic correlation between soil temperature and CO2 flux as well as soil temperature and snow depth • Possibly due to site error • Other data shows that if ‘atmospheric CO2’ increases over time, so will the ‘rates of soil respiration’ (Jackson et al, 2009)

  18. Conclusion • CO2 flux has a direct correlation to snow depth • Can not tell if precipitation correlates to CO2 flux • However, it should since snow depth does correlate • Air temperature has been increasing and will therefore affect snow depths

  19. Questions?

  20. References Groffman PM, Hardy JP, Fisk MC, Fakey TJ, Driscoll CT. (2009). “Climate Variation and Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling Processes in a Northern Hardwood Forest”. Ecosystems. 12(6), 927-943. Jackson RB, Cook CW, Pippen JS, Palmer SM. (2009). “Increased below ground biomass and soil CO2 fluxes after a decade of carbon dioxide enrichment in a warm-temperate forest”. Ecological Society of America. 90(12), 3352-3366. Mountain Research Station. (2010). C-1 Annual Summary (1). Retrieved February 14, 2010. http://culter.Colorado.EDU/Climate/Summaries/climc1.html Natural Resources Conservation Services. (2010). Snow Course and Monthly SNOTEL Data Tables. Retrieved February 14, 2010. ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/snow_course/table/history/colorado/05j42s.txt.

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