Journal: International Agrophysics

Abbreviation

Int. Agrophysics

Publisher

De Gruyter

Journal Volumes

ISSN

0236-8722
2300-8725

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201813
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Publications 1 - 10 of 13
  • Soil sampling and preparation for monitoring soil carbon
    Item type: Journal Article
    Arrouays, Dominique; Saby, Nicolas P.A.; Boukir, Hakima; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
    There is an urgent need for standardized monitoring of existing soil organic carbon stocks in order to accurately quantify potential negative or positive feedbacks with climate change on carbon fluxes. Given the uncertainty of flux measurements at the ecosystem scale, obtaining precise estimates of changes in soil organic carbon stocks is essential to provide an independent assessment of long-term net ecosystem carbon exchange. Here we describe the standard procedure to monitor the soil organic carbon stocks within the footprint of an eddy covariance flux tower, as applied at ecosystem stations of the Integrated Carbon Observation System. The objectives are i) to ensure comparability between sites and to be able to draw general conclusions from the results obtained across many ecosystems and ii) to optimize the sampling design in order to be able to prove changes in time using a reduced number of samples. When sampling a given site at two periods, the objective is generally to assess if changes occurred in time. The changes that can be detected (i.e., demonstrated as statistically significant) depend on several parameters such as the number of samples, the spatial sampling design, and the inherent within-site soil variability. Depending on these parameters, one can define the ‘minimum detectable change’ which is the minimum value of changed that can be statistically proved. Using simulation studies, we address the trade-off between increasing the number of samples and getting lower minimum detectable changes of soil organic carbon stocks.
  • Assimilating phenology datasets automatically across ICOS ecosystem stations
    Item type: Journal Article
    Hufkens, Koen; Filippa, Gianluca; Cremonese, Edoardo; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
    The presence or absence of leaves within plant canopies exert a strong influence on the carbon, water and energy balance of ecosystems. Identifying key changes in the timing of leaf elongation and senescence during the year can help to understand the sensitivity of different plant functional types to changes in temperature. When recorded over many years these data can provide information on the response of ecosystems to long-term changes in climate. The installation of digital cameras that take images at regular intervals of plant canopies across the Integrated Carbon Observation System ecosystem stations will provide a re- liable and important record of variations in canopy state, colour and the timing of key phenological events. Here, we detail the procedure for the implementation of cameras on Integrated Carbon Observation System flux towers and how these images will help us understand the impact of leaf phenology and ecosystem function, distinguish changes in canopy structure from leaf physiology and at larger scales will assist in the validation of (future) remote sensing products. These data will help us improve the representation of phenological responses to climatic variability across Integrated Carbon Observation System stations and the terrestrial biosphere through the improvement of model algorithms and the provision of validation datasets.
  • Radiation measurements at ICOS ecosystem stations
    Item type: Journal Article
    Carrara, Arnaud; Kolari, Pasi; Op de Beeck, Maarten; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
    Solar radiation is a key driver of energy and carbon fluxes in natural ecosystems. Radiation measurements are essential for interpreting ecosystem scale greenhouse gases and energy fluxes as well as many other observations performed at ecosystem stations of the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS). We describe and explain the relevance of the radiation variables that are monitored continuously at ICOS ecosystem stations and define recommendations to perform these measurements with consistent and comparable accuracy. The measurement methodology and instruments are described including detailed technical specifications. Guidelines for instrumental set up as well as for operation, maintenance and data collection are defined considering both ICOS scientific objectives and practical operational constraints. For measurements of short-wave (solar) and long wave (infrared) radiation components, requirements for the ICOS network are based on available well-defined state-of-the art standards (World Meteorological Organization, International Organization for Standardization). For photosynthetically active radiation measurements, some basic instrumental requirements are based on the performance of commercially available sensors. Since site specific conditions and practical constraints at individual ICOS ecosystem stations may hamper the applicability of standard requirements, we recommend that ICOS develops mid-term coordinated actions to assess the effective level of uncertainties in radiation measurements at the network scale.
  • Towards long-term standardised carbon and greenhouse gas observations formonitoring Europe's terrestrial ecosystems
    Item type: Journal Article
    Franz, Daniel; Buchmann, Nina; D'Odorico, Petra; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
  • ICOS eddy covariance flux-station site setup: a review
    Item type: Review Article
    Rebmann, Corinna; Aubinet, Marc; Schmid, Hape; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
  • Estimating the storage term in eddy covariance measurements: the ICOS methodology
    Item type: Journal Article
    Montagnani, Leonardo; Grünwald, Thomas; Kowalski, Andrew; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
    In eddy covariance measurements, the storage flux represents the variation in time of the dry molar fraction of a given gas in the control volume representative of turbulent flux. Depending on the time scale considered, and on the height above ground of the measurements, it can either be a major component of the overall net ecosystem exchange or nearly negligible. Instrumental configuration and computational procedures must be optimized to measure this change at the time step used for the turbulent flux measurement. Three different configurations are suitable within the Integrated Carbon Observation System infrastructure for the storage flux determination: separate sampling, subsequent sampling and mixed sampling. These configurations have their own advantages and disadvantages, and must be carefully selected based on the specific features of the considered station. In this paper, guidelines about number and distribution of vertical and horizontal sampling points are given. Details about suitable instruments, sampling devices, and computational procedures for the quantification of the storage flux of different GHG gases are also provided.
  • Eddy covariance raw data processing for CO2 and energy fluxes calculation at ICOS ecosystem stations
    Item type: Journal Article
    Sabbatini, Simone; Mammarella, Ivan; Arriga, Nicola; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
    The eddy covariance is a powerful technique to estimate the surface-atmosphere exchange of different scalars at the ecosystem scale. The EC method is central to the ecosystem component of the Integrated Carbon Observation System, a monitoring network for greenhouse gases across the European Continent. The data processing sequence applied to the collected raw data is complex, and multiple robust options for the different steps are often available. For Integrated Carbon Observation System and similar networks, the standardisation of methods is essential to avoid methodological biases and improve comparability of the results. We introduce here the steps of the processing chain applied to the eddy covariance data of Integrated Carbon Observation System stations for the estimation of final CO2, water and energy fluxes, including the calculation of their uncertainties. The selected methods are discussed against valid alternative options in terms of suitability and respective drawbacks and advantages. The main challenge is to warrant standardised processing for all stations in spite of the large differences in e.g. ecosystem traits and site conditions. The main achievement of the Integrated Carbon Observation System eddy covariance data processing is making CO2 and energy flux results as comparable and reliable as possible, given the current micrometeorological understanding and the generally accepted state-of-the-art processing methods.
  • Standardisation of eddy-covariance flux measurements of methane and nitrous oxide
    Item type: Journal Article
    Nemitz, Eiko; Mammarella, Ivan; Ibrom, Andreas; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
    Commercially available fast-response analysers for methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) have recently become more sensitive, more robust and easier to operate. This has made their application for long-term flux measurements with the eddycovariance method more feasible. Unlike for carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapour (H2O), there have so far been no guidelines on how to optimise and standardise the measurements. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of the various steps of the measurements and discusses aspects such as instrument selection, setup and maintenance, data processing as well as the additional measurements needed to aid interpretation and gap-filling. It presents the methodological protocol for eddy covariance measurements of CH4 and N2O fluxes as agreed for the ecosystem station network of the pan-European Research Infrastructure Integrated Carbon Observation System and provides a first international standard that is suggested to be adopted more widely. Fluxes can be episodic and the processes controlling the fluxes are complex, preventing simple mechanistic gap-filling strategies. Fluxes are often near or below the detection limit, requiring additional care during data processing. The protocol sets out the best practice for these conditions to avoid biasing the results and long-term budgets. It summarises the current approach to gap-filling.
  • Standardized precipitation measurements within ICOS: rain, snowfall and snow depth: a review
    Item type: Review Article
    Dengel, Sigrid; Graf, Alexander; Grünwald, Thomas; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
    Precipitation is one of the most important abiotic variables related to plant growth. Using standardised measurements improves the comparability and quality of precipitation data as well as all other data within the Integrated Carbon Observation System network. Despite the spatial and temporal variation of some types of precipitation, a single point measurement satisfies the requirement as an ancillary variable for eddy covariance measurements. Here the term precipitation includes: rain, snowfall (liquid water equivalent) and snow depth, with the latter two being of interest only where occurring. Weighing gauges defined as Integrated Carbon Observation System standard with the capacity of continuously measuring liquid and solid precipitation are installed free-standing, away from obstacles obstructing rain or snowfall. In order to minimise wind-induced errors, gauges are shielded either naturally or artificially to reduce the adverse effect of wind speed on the measurements. Following standardised methods strengthens the compatibility and comparability of data with other standardised environmental observation networks while opening the possibility for synthesis studies of different precipitation measurement methodologies and types including a wide range of ecosystems and geolocations across Europe.
  • Standardisation of chamber technique for CO2, N2O and CH4 fluxes measurements from terrestrial ecosystems
    Item type: Journal Article
    Pavelka, Marian; Acosta, Manuel; Kiese, Ralf; et al. (2018)
    International Agrophysics
    Chamber measurements of trace gas fluxes between the land surface and the atmosphere have been conducted for almost a century. Different chamber techniques, including static and dynamic, have been used with varying degrees of success in estimating greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) fluxes. However, all of these have certain disadvantages which have either prevented them from providing an adequate estimate of greenhouse gas exchange or restricted them to be used under limited conditions. Generally, chamber methods are relatively low in cost and simple to operate. In combination with the appropriate sample allocations, chamber methods are adaptable for a wide variety of studies from local to global spatial scales, and they are particularly well suited for in situ and laboratory-based studies. Consequently, chamber measurements will play an important role in the portfolio of the Pan-European long-term research infrastructure Integrated Carbon Observation System. The respective working group of the Integrated Carbon Observation System Ecosystem Monitoring Station Assembly has decided to ascertain standards and quality checks for automated and manual chamber systems instead of defining one or several standard systems provided by commercial manufacturers in order to define minimum requirements for chamber measurements. The defined requirements and recommendations related to chamber measurements are described here.
Publications 1 - 10 of 13