Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2346
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2346
14 Aug 2024
 | 14 Aug 2024

Spatiotemporal variability of CO2, N2O and CH4 fluxes from a semi-deciduous tropical forest soil in the Congo basin

Roxanne Daelman, Marijn Bauters, Matti Barthel, Emmanuel Bulonza, Lodewijk Lefevre, José Mbifo, Johan Six, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Benjamin Wolf, Ralf Kiese, and Pascal Boeckx

Abstract. Tropical forests play an important role in the greenhouse gas exchange between biosphere and atmosphere. Despite holding the second largest tropical forest globally, the Congo basin is generally understudied and ground based greenhouse gas flux data are lacking. In this study, high frequency measurements spanning of sixteen months from automated and manual soil chambers are combined, to characterize spatio-temporal variability in soil greenhouse gas fluxes from a lowland tropical forest in Yangambi, in the Congo Basin. Based on sub-daily continuous measurements, for CO2, a total emission of 15.3 ± 4.4 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 was calculated, with highest fluxes at the start of the wetter periods and a decline in emissions during drier periods. For CH4, the total uptake was -3.9 ± 5.2 kg C ha-1 yr-1. Over the whole period the soil acted as a sink however sporadic emission events were also observed. For N2O an emission of 3.6 ± 4.1 kg N ha-1 yr-1 was calculated, which is higher than most previously reported tropical forest estimates. N2O emissions decreased substantially during drier periods and emission pulses were detected after rain events. High spatial and temporal variability was observed for both CH4 and N2O, but less for CO2. Higher spatial variability was assessed by the manual compared to the automated measurements. Overall, the tropical forest soil acted as a major source for CO2 and N2O and a minor sink for CH4.

Competing interests: At least one of the (co-)authors is a member of the editorial board of Biogeosciences. The peer-review process was guided by an independent editor, and the authors also have no other competing interests to declare.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

20 Mar 2025
Spatiotemporal variability of CO2, N2O and CH4 fluxes from a semi-deciduous tropical forest soil in the Congo Basin
Roxanne Daelman, Marijn Bauters, Matti Barthel, Emmanuel Bulonza, Lodewijk Lefevre, José Mbifo, Johan Six, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Benjamin Wolf, Ralf Kiese, and Pascal Boeckx
Biogeosciences, 22, 1529–1542, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1529-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1529-2025, 2025
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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

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The increase in atmospheric concentrations of several greenhouse gasses (GHG) since 1750 is...
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