Controls on Ecosystem Carbon Dioxide Exchange in Short- and Long-Hydroperiod Florida Everglades Freshwater Marshes

Authors

Jessica L. Schedlbauer, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University and Department of Biology, West Chester UniversityFollow
Jay W. Munyon, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Steven F. Oberbauer, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University and Fairchild Tropical Botanic GardenFollow
Evelyn E. Gaiser, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityFollow
Gregory Starr, Department of Biological Sciences, University of AlabamaFollow

Abstract

Although freshwater wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, little is known of carbon dioxide (CO₂) exchange in low latitude wetlands. The Everglades is an extensive, oligotrophic wetland in south Florida characterized by short- and long-hydroperiod marshes. Chamber-based CO₂ exchange measurements were made to compare the marshes and examine the roles of primary producers, seasonality, and environmental drivers in determining exchange rates. Low rates of CO₂ exchange were observed in both marshes with net ecosystem production reaching maxima of 3.77 and 4.28 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ in short- and long-hydroperiod marshes, respectively. Fluxes of CO₂ were affected by seasonality only in the short-hydroperiod marsh, where flux rates were significantly lower in the wet season than in the dry season. Emergent macrophytes dominated fluxes at both sites, though this was not the case for the short-hydroperiod marsh in the wet season. Water depth, a factor partly under human control, significantly affected gross ecosystem production at the short-hydroperiod marsh. As Everglades ecosystem restoration proceeds, leading to deeper water and longer hydroperiods, productivity in short-hydroperiod marshes will likely be more negatively affected than in long-hydroperiod marshes. The Everglades stand in contrast to many freshwater wetlands because of ecosystem-wide low productivity rates.

Comments

Post-Print Version.

Copyright © 2012 Springer.

The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13157-012-0311-y

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation through the Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research program under Cooperative Agreements #DBI-0620409 and #DEB-9910514. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Recommended Citation

Publisher version: Schedlbauer, J., J. Munyon, S. Oberbauer, E.E. Gaiser, G. Starr. 2012. Controls on ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange in short- and long-hydroperiod Florida Everglades freshwater marshes. Wetlands 32: 801-812.