Carbon and nitrogen isotope studies in an arctic aquatic ecosystem

• Main Author: Schell, D.M.
• Other Authors: United States. Department of Energy.
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Alaska Univ., Fairbanks, AK (United States). Water Research Center 1989
• Subjects: Beta Decay Radioisotopes; Carbon Isotopes; Tundra; Baseline Ecology; Oxides; Polar Regions; Ecological Concentration; Ecosystems; Beta-Minus Decay Radioisotopes; Arctic Regions; Nitrogen Cycle; Isotopes; Chalcogenides; Alaska; Light Nuclei; Carbon Cycle; Even-Even Nuclei; Carbon Compounds; 540330 > Environment; Aquatic > Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport > (1990-); Nuclei; Cryosphere; Aquatic Ecosystems; Carbon Oxides; Nitrogen Isotopes; Years Living Radioisotopes 540320* > Environment; Aquatic > Chemicals Monitoring & Transport > (1990-); Ecology; Oxygen Compounds; Usa; Carbon Dioxide; Carbon 14; Radioisotopes; North America; 54 Environmental Sciences; Developed Countries; Arctic; Subarctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2172/6597719; https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1187171/

The Phase II studies of the R4D Program on stream and watershed ecology reflect the accomplishments and accumulation of baseline information obtained during the past studies. Although our rough estimates indicate that nitrogen inputs to the watershed ba lance losses, the carbon fluxes suggest that they are not in equilibrium and that there is a net loss of carbon from the tundra ecosystem through respiration and transport out of the watershed via the stream system. Radiocarbon profiles of soil sections coupled with mass transport calculations revealed that peat accumulation has essentially ceased in the R4D watershed and appears to be in ablative loss. Thus the carbon flux measurements provide validation tests for the PLANTGRO and GAS-HYDRO models of the PHASE II studies. These findings are also important in the context of global CO[sub 2] increases from positive feedback mechanisms in peatlands associated with climatic warming in the subarctic regions.