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 oC
 Soil: peat with clay
 > 80 % grassland
 Ca. 8 % open water
 < 10 % forested
Plot Oukoop
Plot Stein
Site description
Stein
Oukoop
•
Less intensive
management
•
Intensive
management
•
Difference in
land use
history
between plots
•
Cattle
grazing
•
No water
level
manipulation
•
Water level
manipulation
Objectives

To gain quantitative insight in how- and to
what extent GHG (CO2, CH4, N2O) 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
(processes)
What are the processes that influence
GHG emission in fen meadow
ecosystems
Research question 2
((management)factors)
What are the effects of groundwater level,
land use change, aerenchymatic
plants, amount of clay, fertilization
and husbandry on GHG emission
Research question 3
(variability)
What is the temporal and spatial
variability of GHG emission in
Dutch fen meadows and to what is
this related;
Research question 4
(relevance, future management => emission reduction)
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;
Research question 5
(modeling and upscaling)
How can scaling up/modeling of
emission from fen meadow systems
be improved using knowledge of
spatial- and temporal variability
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
Intensive
management
No
management
Open water
Ditch edges
Open water
Ditch edges
Open water
Ditch edges
Low parts
field
High parts
field
Low
parts field
High
parts field
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 N2O, CH4 and CO2;

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 N2O, CH4 and CO2.

Continuous measurements of CO2 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?