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Project title

GHG fluxes from terrestrial ecosystems,Data maintenance at three sites -Integrated data analysis and model development

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University College Cork (UCC)

Lead Applicant

Gerard Kiely

Project Abstract

The proposed Research plan is for the next 3.5 years (July 2008 to Dec 2011). This work is to be carried out by two instrumentation engineers (Technicians) supervised by the PI and the advisory panel. The details of the proposed Infrastructure to be upgraded are as follows: Upgrade, Maintenance and Data Management of three Eddy Covariance towers in Southern Ireland; A peatland at Glencar, Co Kerry; A grassland at Dripsey, Co Cork and a mixed grassland/arable area at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford. In late 2001, we (the Hydromet Research Group at University College Cork, (http://www.ucc.ie/hydromet/) were funded by the Irish EPA to set up three eddy covariance stations for greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O and CH4) flux measurements at three different ecosystem sites in the south of Ireland. These were: the Dripsey intensively managed grassland in County Cork; the Johnstown Castle mixed grassland/arable land in County Wexford and the Glencar blanket peatland in County Kerry. At the three sites, in addition to 10Hz measurements of CO2 (and H2O) using open path Licor 7500 units, and 3Dsonic anemometers (CSATs and RMYoungs), we installed the full range of meteorological instrumentation for: radiation (Net, SWin, SWout, LWin, LWout); photosynthetic active radiation (PAR); soil heat flux (G); air temperature and relative humidity (Ta, Rh); atmospheric pressure (Patm); soil surface temperature (Ts); precipitation (ppt); soil temperature (Tsoil) at several depths; soil moisture (using TDR?s at several depths); water table sensors. We also installed 2D sonic anemometers or propeller meters. At the Cork grassland we also installed an EC N2O station composed of a tunable diode laser absorption spectrophotometer for 10Hz measurements of N2O along with a dedicated 3D sonic anemometer and data logging system (at a cost of ~?150,000). We have also installed chamber flux measuring facilities for CO2 and N2O at the Dripsey grassland and CH4 at Glencar. In 2007, we installed a dedicated gas chromatograph in our lab at UCC for analysing air samples from chamber campaigns. As there are small streams running through the Dripsey grassland and the Kerry peatland, we installed stream water level recorders at both sites for continuous flow measurement as well as automatic samplers for stream water quality (e.g. DOC). In 2005, we installed a Shimatzu TOC analyser in our lab at UCC for TOC and DOC analyses of stream water samples.

Grant Approved

�408,898.10

Research Hub

Climate Change

Research Theme

Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Sinks, and Management Systems

Start Date

01/06/2009

Initial Projected Completion Date

01/12/2011