The seasonal origins and ages of water provisioning streams and trees in a tropical montane cloud forest

Determining the sources of water provisioning streams, soils, and vegetation can provide important insights into the water that sustains critical ecosystem functions now and how those functions may be expected to respond given projected changes in the global hydrologic cycle. We developed multi-year time series of water isotope ratios (δ18O and δ2H) based on twice-monthly collections of precipitation, lysimeter, and tree branch xylem waters from a seasonally dry tropical montane cloud forest in the southeastern Andes mountains of Peru. We then used this information to determine indices of the seasonal origins, the young water fractions (Fyw), and the new water fractions (Fnew) of soil, stream, and tree water. There was no evidence for intra-annual variation in the seasonal origins of stream water and lysimeter water from 1 m depth, both of which were predominantly comprised of wet-season precipitation even during the dry seasons. However, branch xylem waters demonstrated an intra-annual shift in seasonal origin: xylem waters were comprised of wet-season precipitation during the wet season and dry-season precipitation during the dry season. The young water fractions of lysimeter (&lt; 15 %) and stream (5 %) waters were lower than the young water fraction (37 %) in branch xylem waters. The new water fraction (an indicator of water ≤ 2 weeks old in this study) was estimated to be 12 % for branch xylem waters, while there was no significant evidence for new water in stream or lysimeter waters from 1 m depth. Our results indicate that the source of water for trees in this system varied seasonally, such that recent precipitation may be more immediately taken up by shallow tree roots. In comparison, the source of water for soils and streams did not vary seasonally, such that precipitation may mix and reside in soils and take longer to transit into the stream. Our insights into the seasonal origins and ages of water in soils, streams, and vegetation in this humid tropical montane cloud forest add to understanding of the mechanisms that govern the partitioning of water moving through different ecosystems.</p

Complex controls on nitrous oxide flux across a large-elevation gradient in the tropical Peruvian Andes

Current bottom–up process models suggest that montane tropical ecosystems are weak atmospheric sources of N2O, although recent empirical studies from the southern Peruvian Andes have challenged this idea. Here we report N2O flux from combined field and laboratory experiments that investigated the process-based controls on N2O flux from montane ecosystems across a large-elevation gradient (600–3700 m a.s.l.) in the southern Peruvian Andes. Nitrous oxide flux and environmental variables were quantified in four major habitats (premontane forest, lower montane forest, upper montane forest and montane grassland) at monthly intervals over a 30-month period from January 2011 to June 2013. The role of soil moisture content in regulating N2O flux was investigated through a manipulative, laboratory-based 15N-tracer experiment. The role of substrate availability (labile organic matter, NO3−) in regulating N2O flux was examined through a field-based litter-fall manipulation experiment and a laboratory-based 15N–NO3− addition study, respectively. Ecosystems in this region were net atmospheric sources of N2O, with an unweighted mean flux of 0.27 ± 0.07 mg N–N2O m−2 d−1. Weighted extrapolations, which accounted for differences in land surface area among habitats and variations in flux between seasons, predicted a mean annual flux of 1.27 ± 0.33 kg N2O–N ha−1 yr−1. Nitrous oxide flux was greatest from premontane forest, with an unweighted mean flux of 0.75 ± 0.18 mg N–N2O m−2 d−1, translating to a weighted annual flux of 0.66 ± 0.16 kg N2O–N ha−1 yr−1. In contrast, N2O flux was significantly lower in other habitats. The unweighted mean fluxes for lower montane forest, montane grasslands, and upper montane forest were 0.46 ± 0.24 mg N–N2O m−2 d−1, 0.07 ± 0.08 mg N–N2O m−2 d−1, and 0.04 ± 0.07 mg N–N2O m−2 d−1, respectively. This corresponds to weighted annual fluxes of 0.52 ± 0.27 kg N2O–N ha−1 yr−1, 0.05 ± 0.06 kg N2O–N ha−1 yr−1, and 0.04 ± 0.07 kg N2O–N ha−1 yr−1, respectively. Nitrous oxide flux showed weak seasonal variation across the region; only lower montane forest showed significantly higher N2O flux during the dry season compared to wet season. Manipulation of soil moisture content in the laboratory indicated that N2O flux was significantly influenced by changes in water-filled pore space (WFPS). The relationship between N2O flux and WFPS was complex and non-linear, diverging from theoretical predictions of how WFPS relates to N2O flux. Nitrification made a negligible contribution to N2O flux, irrespective of soil moisture content, indicating that nitrate reduction was the dominant source of N2O. Analysis of the pooled data indicated that N2O flux was greatest at 90 and 50 % WFPS, and lowest at 70 and 30 % WFPS. This trend in N2O flux suggests a complex relationship between WFPS and nitrate-reducing processes (i.e. denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium). Changes in labile organic matter inputs, through the manipulation of leaf litter-fall, did not alter N2O flux. Comprehensive analysis of field and laboratory data demonstrated that variations in NO3− availability strongly constrained N2O flux. Habitat – a proxy for NO3− availability under field conditions – was the best predictor for N2O flux, with N-rich habitats (premontane forest, lower montane forest) showing significantly higher N2O flux than N-poor habitats (upper montane forest, montane grassland). Yet, N2O flux did not respond to short-term changes in NO3− concentration.The authors would like to acknowledge the agencies that funded this research; the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC; joint grant references NE/H006583, NE/H007849, and NE/H006753). Patrick Meir was supported by an Australian Research Council Fellowship (FT110100457)

High rates of rock organic carbon oxidation sustained as Andean sediment transits the Amazon foreland-floodplain

International audienceThe oxidation of organic carbon contained within sedimentary rocks (“petrogenic” carbon, or hereafter OC petro ) emits nearly as much CO 2 as is released by volcanism, thereby playing a key role in the long-term global C budget. High erosion rates in mountains have been shown to increase OC petro oxidation. However, these settings also export unweathered material that may continue to react in downstream floodplains. The relative importance of OC petro oxidation in mountains versus floodplains remains difficult to assess as disparate methods have been used in the different environments. Here, we investigate the sources and fluxes of rhenium (Re) in the Rio Madre de Dios to quantify OC petro oxidation from the Andes to the Amazon floodplain using a common approach. Dissolved rhenium concentrations (n = 131) range from 0.01 to 63 pmol L −1 and vary depending on lithology and geomorphic setting. We find that >75% of the dissolved Re derives from OC petro oxidation and that this proportion increases downstream. We estimate that in the Andes, OC petro oxidation releases 11.2 +4.5 / −2.8 tC km −2 y −1 of CO 2 , which corresponds to ~41% of the total OC petro denudation (sum of oxidized and solid OC petro ). A Re mass balance across the Rio Madre de Dios shows that 46% of OC petro oxidation takes place in the Andes, 14% in the foreland-lowlands, and 40% in the Andean-fed floodplains. This doubling of OC petro oxidation flux downstream of the Andes demonstrates that, when present, floodplains can greatly increase OC petro oxidation and CO 2 release