Spatial and Temporal Trends in Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from a Temperate Floodplain along a Stream-Riparian-Upland Gradient

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dc.contributor.authorEnsor, Breanne Leighen
dc.contributor.committeechairScott, Durelle T.en
dc.contributor.committeememberHester, Erich T.en
dc.contributor.committeememberHession, W. Cullyen
dc.contributor.committeememberStrahm, Brian D.en
dc.contributor.committeememberThomas, R. Quinnen
dc.contributor.departmentBiological Systems Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2016-06-24T08:00:46Zen
dc.date.available2016-06-24T08:00:46Zen
dc.date.issued2016-06-23en
dc.description.abstractIncreased floodplain and wetland restoration activity has raised concerns about potential impacts on the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere due to restored connectivity between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Research has shown GHG fluxes from hydrologically active landscapes such as floodplains and wetlands vary spatially and temporally in response to primary controls including soil moisture, soil temperature, and available nutrients. In this study, we performed a semimonthly sampling campaign measuring GHG (CO2, CH4, and N2O) fluxes from six locations within a third-order stream floodplain. Site locations were based on dominant landscape positions and hydrologic activity along a topographic gradient including a constructed inset floodplain at the stream margin, the natural levee, an active slough, the general vegetated floodplain, a convergence zone fed by groundwater, and the upland area. Flux measurements were compared to abiotic controls on GHG production to determine the most significant factors affecting GHG flux from the floodplain. We found correlations between CO2 flux and soil temperature, organic matter content, and soil moisture, CH4 flux and pH, bulk density, inundation period length, soil temperature, and organic matter content. But minimal correlations between N2O flux and the measured variables. Spatially, our results demonstrate that constructed inset floodplains have higher global warming potential in the form of CH4 than any other site and for all other GHGs, potentially offsetting the positive benefits incurred by enhanced connectivity. However, at the reach scale, total CO2 flux from the soil remains the greater influence on climate since the area covered by these inset floodplains is comparatively much smaller than the rest of the floodplain.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:7359en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/71424en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectfloodplainen
dc.subjectgreenhouse gasen
dc.subjectCO2en
dc.subjectCH4en
dc.subjectN2Oen
dc.subjectinset floodplainen
dc.subjectrestorationen
dc.subjectsoil moistureen
dc.subjectinundationen
dc.subjectsoil temperatureen
dc.subjectsoil nutrientsen
dc.titleSpatial and Temporal Trends in Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from a Temperate Floodplain along a Stream-Riparian-Upland Gradienten
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineBiological Systems Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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