| Popis: |
Climate change is an increasing concern worldwide. In the Northern Hemisphere, sub-alpine ecosystems serve as a major carbon sink. Recent research has shown that these ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to changes in climate. Small drops in water availability and increases in temperature, for example, have been shown to cause significant reductions in the ecosystemâs ability to sequester carbon despite longer growing season lengths. In this study, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), air temperature, relative humidity, sap flow, soil moisture and soil temperature sensors were deployed in a high-altitude sub-alpine forest ecosystem at Niwot Ridge near Nederland, Colorado, to measure carbon uptake. Using the data obtained from these sensors, preliminary observations concerning the effects of cloud cover on COâ sequestration were made. Data from three representative days in the month of July were analyzed in order to observe the differences on a sunny, cloudy, and partly cloudy day. From these preliminary results, the carbon uptake appeared to be greater on the sunny day with less uptake occurring on the partly cloudy day and even less on the completely overcast day. This is contrary to existing research which suggests that cloudy and partly cloudy days should in fact increase sequestration because light is distributed more evenly and lower temperatures keep exchange passages within the leaf open. These results may be due to factors such as the unusually persistent afternoon rains that occurred during this growing season that decreased overall temperatures. |
