Honors College Senior Thesis Presentations
Diurnal Patterns of Methane Emissions in Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Wildlife Biology
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Jessica Moon
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
My thesis aims to analyze greenhouse gas emissions from the stems of bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) trees, a wetland obligate species, over a diurnal period and across seasons. I am collecting CH4 and CO2 flux measurements from the stems of six bald cypress trees, at 60 and 120 cm above ground, on the edge of Kentucky Lake at Hancock Biological Station, KY. Sampling entails recording emissions every 4 hours for a 24-hour period, along with measures of air temperature, relative humidity, soil emissions, and the amount of available light. We have collected measurments on six days in Spring and Fall of 2023 in order to capture seasonal changes. This data will be used to (1) describe variation in emissions across diurnal and seasonal time steps; (2) compare emissions across heights of 60 and 120 cm; and (3) evaluate correlations between temperature, humidity, light, and emissions. Results from this study will be used to improve modeling efforts by identifying which factors contribute to higher or lower greenhouse gas release from the stems of a common wetland tree species in the region.
Fall Scholars Week 2023 Event
Honors College Senior Thesis Presentations
Diurnal Patterns of Methane Emissions in Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
My thesis aims to analyze greenhouse gas emissions from the stems of bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) trees, a wetland obligate species, over a diurnal period and across seasons. I am collecting CH4 and CO2 flux measurements from the stems of six bald cypress trees, at 60 and 120 cm above ground, on the edge of Kentucky Lake at Hancock Biological Station, KY. Sampling entails recording emissions every 4 hours for a 24-hour period, along with measures of air temperature, relative humidity, soil emissions, and the amount of available light. We have collected measurments on six days in Spring and Fall of 2023 in order to capture seasonal changes. This data will be used to (1) describe variation in emissions across diurnal and seasonal time steps; (2) compare emissions across heights of 60 and 120 cm; and (3) evaluate correlations between temperature, humidity, light, and emissions. Results from this study will be used to improve modeling efforts by identifying which factors contribute to higher or lower greenhouse gas release from the stems of a common wetland tree species in the region.