Quantification and process analysis of biogenic trace gas fluxes

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Gerhard Gebauer
• Subject Area: Soil Sciences
• Term: from 2005 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5471350

Climate models predict prolonged drought periods and extreme rain events for major parts of Central Europe. Biological and chemical processes in soils are affected by the accompanying changes in water and oxygen availability. However, little is known about the effects of extreme meteorological conditions on the annual matter fluxes on ecosystem level. The overall goal of this project is to quantify the effects of drought periods, changes in the water table and subsequent rain events on the exchange of the trace gases CO2, CH4, N2O and NO between soil, vegetation and atmosphere in a forest and wetland ecosystem and to identify the underlying biogenic production and consumption processes. For this goal we will particularly focus on changes in concentration, fluxes and isotopic composition (14C, 13C, 15N and 18O) of CO2, CH4 and N2O in the soil atmosphere and the soil surface. These gases have a great relevance for the atmosphere in terms of the greenhouse effect.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 562: Dynamics of Soil Processes under Extreme Meteorological Boundary Conditions
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Werner Borken