Soil-atmosphere greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) exchange in evergreen oak woodland in southern Portugal

A. Shvaleva, R. Lobo-do-Vale, C. Cruz, S. Castaldi, A.P. Rosa, M.M. Chaves and J.S. Pereira
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A. Shvaleva: Institute of Technological Chemistry and Biology, New University of Lisbon, Av. República, Oeiras, Portugal
R. Lobo-do-Vale: Institute of Agronomy, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisbon, Portugal
C. Cruz: Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon (CBA), Lisbon, Portugal
S. Castaldi: Second University, Caserta, Italy
A.P. Rosa: Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon (CBA), Lisbon, Portugal
M.M. Chaves: Institute of Technological Chemistry and Biology, New University of Lisbon, Av. República, Oeiras, Portugal
J.S. Pereira: Institute of Agronomy, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisbon, Portugal

Plant, Soil and Environment, 2011, vol. 57, issue 10, 471-477

Abstract: A 10-20% decrease in annual precipitation is predicted in the Mediterranean basin, and in particular to the Iberian Peninsula, with foreseen effects on the exchange of soil-atmosphere greenhouse gases (GHGs; CO2, CH4, and N2O). To simulate this scenario, we setup an experimental design in the particularly dry period of 2008-2009 using rainfall exclusion and irrigation, to obtain plots receiving 110% (538 mm), 100% (493 mm) and 74% (365 mm) of the natural precipitation. Soil CO2 fluxes showed a strong increase from summer to autumn as a consequence of increasing soil heterotrophic respiration that resulted from rewetting. Fluxes of N2O were negligible. According to our data, soil was a permanent CH4 sink independent of the soil water content (in the range between 6-26% WFPS - water-filled pore space) and of soil temperature (in the range of 7-28°C), supporting the concept that seasonally dry ecosystems (Mediterranean) may represent a significant sink of atmospheric CH4. The study provides evidence that the 26% decrease or 10% increase in the ambient rainfall from annual precipitation of ca 500 mm did not significantly affect soil functionality and had a limited impact on soil-atmosphere net GHGs exchange in evergreen oak woodlands in southern Portugal.

Keywords: climate change; drought; Mediterranean; precipitation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:10:id:223-2011-pse

DOI: 10.17221/223/2011-PSE

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