Sigma Xi Poster Competition
The Relationship Between Hydrogeomorphic Settings and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Soils and Stems in Western Kentucky’s Freshwater Mineral Soil Wetlands
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
Major
Biology, Watershed Science Concentration
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Jessica B. Moon, PhD
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation - Murray State Access only
Abstract/Description
Freshwater mineral soil wetland (FMSW) ecosystems sequester substantial amounts of carbon, but their soils and vegetation can also emit methane and carbon dioxide, two potent greenhouse gases (GHGs), to the atmosphere. Recent studies have documented differences in stem GHG exchange between extremes in hydrogeomorphic (HGM) settings, such as between dry uplands and inundated wetlands. We are investigating how GHG emissions from tree stems and soils vary across a narrower scope of HGM settings within FMSWs, specifically: pond edge, reservoir edge, and channel. In each setting, we are measuring GHG flux rates seasonally from soil chambers and stems of Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), a common species found across all sites. Additionally, we are investigating how gas diffusion rates vary from stems at two heights (i.e., 40 cm and 120 cm above the ground). We hypothesize that GHG emissions vary as a function of height, with emissions decreasing with increasing stem height. We also hypothesize that GHG emissions vary as a function of HGM setting, which vary in hydropatterns and resource availability. Based on data from summer 2023, we found that height along a stem, as well as the diameter of the stem at breast height, both influenced methane emissions favoring lower collars and smaller stems, respectively. We also observed the highest emissions along the reservoir edge, followed by the pond edge. Understanding these relationships will enable accurate carbon cycle modeling in a warming world, as well as provide optimal T. distichum planting recommendations for future land managers.
Spring Scholars Week 2024 Event
Sigma Xi Poster Competition
The Relationship Between Hydrogeomorphic Settings and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Soils and Stems in Western Kentucky’s Freshwater Mineral Soil Wetlands
Freshwater mineral soil wetland (FMSW) ecosystems sequester substantial amounts of carbon, but their soils and vegetation can also emit methane and carbon dioxide, two potent greenhouse gases (GHGs), to the atmosphere. Recent studies have documented differences in stem GHG exchange between extremes in hydrogeomorphic (HGM) settings, such as between dry uplands and inundated wetlands. We are investigating how GHG emissions from tree stems and soils vary across a narrower scope of HGM settings within FMSWs, specifically: pond edge, reservoir edge, and channel. In each setting, we are measuring GHG flux rates seasonally from soil chambers and stems of Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), a common species found across all sites. Additionally, we are investigating how gas diffusion rates vary from stems at two heights (i.e., 40 cm and 120 cm above the ground). We hypothesize that GHG emissions vary as a function of height, with emissions decreasing with increasing stem height. We also hypothesize that GHG emissions vary as a function of HGM setting, which vary in hydropatterns and resource availability. Based on data from summer 2023, we found that height along a stem, as well as the diameter of the stem at breast height, both influenced methane emissions favoring lower collars and smaller stems, respectively. We also observed the highest emissions along the reservoir edge, followed by the pond edge. Understanding these relationships will enable accurate carbon cycle modeling in a warming world, as well as provide optimal T. distichum planting recommendations for future land managers.