The BOREAS Information System

TGB-4: The Fluxes of Energy and Trace Gases from Beaver Ponds and Dry Upland Forest Floor in the NSA

P.I.(s): Nigel T. Roulet -- York University

Objectives: To quantify the exchange of heat, water, and CH₄ between boreal forest beaver ponds and the atmosphere for the ice free period of BOREAS. The fluxes of heat, water and CO₂ from one beaver pond was measured continuously using the energy balance Bowen ratio approach. The diffuse and bubble flux CH₄ was measured several times a week using chambers. The chamber approach was used to sample CO₂ and CH₄ flux from 4 to 5 additional beaver ponds, once every two weeks, and regional survey of the surface concentrations of CO₂, CH₄, and DOC were carried out on accessible beaver ponds. The results of this work will be extrapolated from the local to regional scale in collaboration with the remote sensing project of J. Miller (RSS-19).
The secondary objective of this research is to study the soil climate and soil characteristics at a forest site in conjunction with the flux studies of P. Crill (TGB-1). Soil moisture and temperatures were measured continuously, and soil porosity will be determined.

Location: NSA, NSA Beaver Pond (BP)

TGB-4 Pictures

The TGB gas collectors on the NSA beaver pond

TGB-4 Data Sets