Investigating carbon fluxes in mid and high boreal peatlands using a static chamber method, James Bay, Quebec, Canada

Luc Pelletier
Department of Geography,
Université du Québec à Montréal

Michelle Garneau
GEOTOP-UQAM-McGill and Department of Geography,
Université du Québec à Montréal

T. R. Moore, N. T. Roulet
Department of Geography,
McGill University

This project is part of a multidisciplinary research to evaluate carbon exchanges (CO2 and CH4) in boreal peatland ecosystems of Quebec (Canada) and to understand the local and regional flux variability to estimate near-future natural (climate change) and anthropogenic (hydro-electric flooding) impacts. Carbon fluxes have been measured since 2003 in 9 distinct peatlands from mid to high boreal latitudes using a static chamber method.

In 2003 and 2004, measurements were made in 3 peatlands of the La Grande river watershed (55oN) while in 2005 and 2006, measurements were made in 6 peatlands in the Eastmain river region (52oN). Peatlands were chosen to be representative of their respective region and sampling used pre-installed collars. In 2003, in the La Grande region in 2003, 20 sampling collars were installed in each peatland for surface measurements while 2004, 15 sites were chosen for pool flux measurements. During 2005 and 2006 summers in the EM region, 8 collars were installed on surface and 2 pool sites in each peatland for flux measurements. Sampling sites were chosen to cover all the vegetation types present.

Preliminary results show that mean CH4 fluxes from the LG peatlands vegetated surface in 2003 are lower than the EM peatlands mean fluxes for 2005 with value range of 39 ±4.9 to 72 ±16 mg CH4 m-2 d-1 for LG and 66 ±10 to 124 ±14 mg CH4 m-2 d-1. Results will be used to model C dynamics from low to high boreal peatlands on the James Bay east coast.


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