FSML: Quantifying carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in freshwater lakes

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

Freshwaters are biogeochemical 'hot spots' on Earth that play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles, and they are net sources of two important greenhouse gases, CO2 and CH4. The exchanges of these gases between the atmosphere and freshwater are episodic which makes modeling these fluxes difficult. The goal of this proposal is to obtain instrumentation that will enable quantifying fluxes of these gases in aquatic systems and increase the research capabilities of two University of Minnesota field stations to support science that will: (a) quantify changes in the physical, chemical and biological environment of aquatic systems and (b) understand drivers and responses of aquatic ecosystems and feedbacks with the atmosphere via CO2 and CH4 fluxes. The infrastructure requested here will build research, teaching and outreach capacity at two of the University of Minnesota's superb field stations, Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories(IBS) and Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve (CC). It will quantify fluxes of two of the most important greenhouse gases and facilitate understanding of mechanisms that regulate releases to the atmosphere. The proposed instrumentation will provide incentive for both internal and external researchers to use IBS and CC. Three very different ecological systems at IBS and CC will be instrumented for high temporal resolution of physical, chemical and biological variables. The proposed work on iconic Cedar Bog Lake and nearby water bodies would extend the research focus at CC to wetlands, rivers and lakes. The water bodies at the two stations represent a gradient of diversity that will enable comparative studies. These data will contribute to a global lakes monitoring network (GLEON), to which both Cotner and Knoll contribute. There are extensive avenues for outreach at both field stations. Data from the lakes will be displayed in real-time at visitor stations and numerous school and public tours at each site. A science in the schools program, InSciEd Out, which is focused on K-8 students will use these data to help generate hypotheses and experiments focused on how lakes and wetlands function. Lastly, this work will impact science and society by providing important infrastructure for understanding exchanges between aquatic systems and the atmosphere, a poorly understood area of limnology and atmospheric science. It will also impact society through the training of many scientists, from kindergarten through graduate school and beyond.