CO2andNfertilization.PDFVIP

Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 3, 2691–2706, 2003 /acpd/3/2691/ c European Geosciences Union 2003 Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions Soil-atmosphere exchange of CH4, CO2, NOx, and N2O in the Colorado Shortgrass Steppe following ?ve years of elevated CO2 and N fertilization A. R. Mosier1, E. Pendall2, and J. A. Morgan1 1USDA/ARS, Fort Collins, CO, USA 2Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA Received: 28 January 2003 – Accepted: 18 April 2003 – Published: 20 May 2003 Correspondence to: A. R. Mosier (amosier@) 2691 ACPD 3, 2691–2706, 2003 Grassland trace gas exchange under elevated CO2 A. R. Mosier et al. Title Page Abstract Introduction Conclusions References Tables Figures Back Close Full Screen / Esc Print Version Interactive Discussion c EGU 2003 Abstract An open-top-chamber (OTC) CO2 enrichment study was conducted in the Colorado shortgrass steppe to determine the e?ect of elevated CO2 (～720 μmol mol?1) on plant production, photosynthesis, and water use of this mixed C3/C4 plant community, soil 5 nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) cycling and the impact of changes induced by CO2 on trace gas exchange. Weekly measurements of CO2, CH4, NOx and N2O ?uxes within control (unchambered), ambient CO2 and elevated CO2 OTCs and soil water and temperature were measured at each ?ux measurement time from early April 1997, year round, through October 2001. Even though both aboveground plant biomass increased under 10 elevated CO2 and soil moisture content was typically higher than under ambient CO2 conditions, none of the trace gas ?uxes were signi?cantly altered by CO2 enrichment over the 55 month period of observation. During early summer of 2002, following the removal of the open-top-chambers from the CO2 enrichment sites in October, we conducted a short term study to determine if soil microbial processes were altered in 15 soils that had been exposed to double ambient CO2 concentrations during the growing season for the past ?ve years. Microplots we