Biogeochemical Cycling

Biogeochemical Cycling

Wetland soils contain a disproportionate amount of global the terrestrial carbon pool. Accordingly, understanding the basic process that regulate organic matter turnover and the associated interactions with land management practices, climate change, and other disturbance regimes is fundamental to the sustainability of that carbon pool. Correspondingly, the soil organic matter is inextricably linked to nutrient cycling and water availability, factors which regulate plant community dynamics. The Center has a broad portfolio of biogeochemical research focusing on the interactions between management regimes and carbon and nutrient cycles in a variety of wetland-dominated landscapes. The biogeochemical research is inextricably linked to the hydrologic work at the Center, since hydrology is a critical factor controlling most ecological process in wetlands.

The research is presently focused on biogeochemical responses to forest management practices, including harvesting and site preparation treatments, plantation and intensive biomass cultivation, prescribed fire and fuels management, wetland restoration, and climate change. This portfolio includes a combination of long-term field manipulation studies, long-term monitoring, and controlled experiments in laboratory and mesocosm facilities. The work is conducted on sites in the southeastern US, north central US and overseas by staff and collaborators.

While the foundation of this research area is physical studies, that work provides a foundation for the development and application of modeling tools for research and assessment purposes. The Center is working with scientists at the Complex Systems Research Center at the University of New Hampshire in the development of Forest-DNDC, a robust forest soil carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical model.

Selected Publications

Modeling Applications

Modeling Applications

Tools are fundamental to assessing the complexities associated with biogeochemical cycling and land management or disturbance regimes. Since wetlands contain both aerobic and anaerobic soil conditions its essential to have a model that can accurately represent the effects of those conditions on processes.

Our work focus on carbon and nitrogen, the two critical elements for sustainability considerations and for climate change. Since wetlands are a major source of greenhouse gases, it’s important that the model also be able to consider the greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, CH4, N2O).

DNDC is a mature modeling framework for simulating C and N dynamics under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. We have collaborated with the Prof. Li, University of New Hampshire’s Complex System Research Center in the development of Wetland-DNDC, a forested wetland-specific model and now Forest-DNDC, a robust forest soil biogeochemical model.

As a result Forest-DNDC has proven to a effective tool for assessing C and N dynamics in forested lands in North America, Europe and Asia. The current work is focusing on issues associated with scaling, uncertainty and validation in managed forested wetlands.

For more information contact Carl Trettin at the Center.

Selected Publications

Carbon Cycle

Carbon Cycle
Selected Publications

Effects of Forest Management Practices

Modeling

Complex biotic and abiotic processes govern interactions between vegetation, soil, hydrology and fauna in wetland ecosystems.

Vegetation is the major biological component of forested wetlands, influencing many aspects of ecosystem structure, function, and sustainability. It is also the primary target of most management and restoration activities.

Accordingly, understanding the interactions between land management practices and biogeochemical cycles is fundamental for developing knowledge and useful guidelines for sustainable wetland management and conservation.

A major tenet of the Center’s research program is long-term studies which can provide a strong basis for assessing the effects of land management on biogeochemical cycling.

Selected Publications