GHG balance of Dutch fen meadows and their management potential for emission reduction. How does management affect the emission of GHG Arina Schrier

Study areas Mean annual precipitation: 870 mm Mean annual temperature: 10.4 o C Soil: peat with clay > 80 % grassland Ca. 8 % open water < 10 % forested Plot Stein Plot Oukoop

Site description Stein Less intensive management Difference in land use history between plots Water level manipulation Oukoop Intensive management Cattle grazing No water level manipulation

Objectives To gain quantitative insight in how- and to what extent GHG (CO 2, CH 4, N 2 O) are produced at small- and landscape scale in Dutch fen meadows; Study the effect of management (ground water level manipulation, fertilization, husbandry) on GHG production and emission; Develop a system for upscaling of GHG emission from plot scale to landscape scale in fen meadow ecosystems, together with other researchers.

Research question 1 What are the processes that influence GHG emission in fen meadow ecosystems (processes)

Research question 2 What are the effects of groundwater level, land use change, aerenchymatic plants, amount of clay, fertilization and husbandry on GHG emission ((management)factors)

Research question 3 What is the temporal and spatial variability of GHG emission in Dutch fen meadows and to what is this related; (variability)

Research question 4 What are the opportunities for the usage of fen meadows for GHG emission reduction and what are the implications for nature management in fen meadows; (relevance, future management => emission reduction)

Research question 5 How can scaling up/modeling of emission from fen meadow systems be improved using knowledge of spatial- and temporal variability (modeling and upscaling)

Tools to be used Literature Field experiments Greenhouse experiments Models

Field measurements Flux measurements (Eddy Corr. + closed chambers) Meteorology measurements Hydrology measurements (quantity and quality) Soil measurements Vegetation analyses and descriptions Management descriptions

Greenhouse experiments flux measurements under constant conditions, except water level changes Intensive and less intensive management Plot 20 years out of production and plot 2 years out of production Different land elements such as ditch(edge), low- and high parts (often related to vegetation: with and without aerenchym)

Modeling and upscaling Modeling Parameters estimated from the field work will be used to calculate future distributions of greenhouse gas emission in fen meadows by aggregation of the landscape (weight factor per aggregate) Total area Extensive management Open waterDitch edges Low parts field High parts field Intensive management Open waterDitch edges Low parts field High parts field No management Open waterDitch edges Low parts field High parts field

Fluxes Flux chamber measurements every two or three weeks (in winter less intensive) at fixed locations (Photo Acoustic Field Gas monitor: INNOVA) of N 2 O, CH 4 and CO 2 ; Flux chamber measurements: intensive field campaigns in spring, sample design will be based on land form elements; Flux measurements at special events as mowing, cleaning of ditches, heavy rain, frost/thaw, manure application; Flux measurements under constant conditions in the greenhouse of N 2 O, CH 4 and CO 2. Continuous measurements of CO 2 fluxes, water vapour and energy (Eddy correlation, open path Licor 7500) at both sites (e.g. Aubinet et al., 2000) following the Carbo Europe protocol;

First results Stein (Ko van Huissteden)

First results Oukoop (ko van Huissteden)

Cooperation Field measurements with Petra Kroon (ECN) and Dimmie Hendriks (VU); Modeling/upscaling in cooperation with partners ECN, VU, WU, UG, ALTERRA, TNO (Dimmie, Petra K., Petra S., Linda, Sander); Collaborative papers, to be discussed next PHD meeting; Meeting discussion group (PHD’s) every half a year

Plans for next year January: chamber measurements every 3 or 4 weeks at both sites at 5 fixed locations, design intensive field campaigns, finish research proposal; February: design greenhouse experiment, continue chamber measurements, start intensive field campaigns (first manure application); March: continue intensive field campaigns, start greenhouse experiment, continue chamber measurements; April, may, june: continue July: stop intensive field campaigns, stop greenhouse experiment, continue chamber measurements.

Thank you! Questions?