Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/J016608/1
[WATER] How will ecosystem shifts due to sea level rise affect carbon storage and greenhouse gas fluxes in floodplain fens?
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Professor L Belyea, Queen Mary University of London, Geography
- Grant held at:
- Queen Mary University of London, Geography
- Science Area:
- Freshwater
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Science Topics:
- None
- Abstract:
- Conservation organisations have recognised in recent years that climate change adaptation has become one of their biggest challenges. Conservation of listed species (and others) and their habitats will naturally be the priority for conservation land management, but knowledge of the likely ecological and ecosystem service implications of such decisions will be extremely valuable in prioritising resources to achieve best conservation outcomes. The intertwined issues of habitat and carbon (C) management are particularly pertinent to low-lying areas of the Norfolk Broads, which are subject to increasing flooding (frequency and depth) and saline influence owing to sea-level rise. In the short-term, die-off of inundated vegetation may lead to a pulse of CO2 to the atmosphere (Henman & oulter 2008), while sulphate enrichment may lead to a decrease in CH4 production, as sulphate reduction becomes favoured over methanogenesis (Gauci et al. 2004). In the long-term, habitat shifts will lead to changes in rates of C storage (Chmura et al. 2008), and also will have important implications for conservation in the UK. The overarching aim of this PhD is to deliver the new knowledge and decision-support tools required by conservation land managers in the Norfolk Broads to adapt effectively to sea-level rise, i.e., to maintain or increase the amount of C sequestered and minimize the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs), without compromising the central conservation value of managed lands. Field and laboratory studies will use a suite of sites along gradients of increasing saline influence and flooding. The student will sample across (a) a freshwater flooding gradient at How Hill Fen complex (4 sites: Phragmites/Typha reed fen - tall herb fen - low sedge fen - scrub/carr) and (b) a salinity and flooding gradient at 6 other sites, ranging from floodplain fens that are unaffected by sea-level rise or storm surges, to brackish swamp/fen, to high saltmarsh. Sites may include a baseline C assessment of a new fen creation site in the Ant valley. The resulting data will contribute to development of a GIS-based adaptation assessment. The main research objectives (ROs) of the PhD will be to: RO1 Quantify rates of C storage for habitats along gradients of flooding and saline influence, by monitoring sedimentation erosion and by making direct measurements of litter production and decomposition. These measurements will allow estimation of the rate of C sequestration and potential C losses associated with ecosystem shifts (e.g., mortality and loss of existing vegetation and peat). RO2 Estimate GHG emission factors for these habitats, by developing regression models from literature-based studies of GHG fluxes. The regression models will enable emissions factors to be assigned to each habitat type. RO3 Investigate controls on GHG fluxes, by carrying out laboratory experiments in which inundation and salinity are manipulated. These studies will allow refinement of the proxy-based emission estimates, particularly in relation to N2O fluxes (for which there are few data) and mineralisation pathways (methanogenesis versus sulphate reduction, which will affect CO2:CH4 production ratios). RO4 Assess trade-offs between conservation and C management under projected scenarios of sea-level rise, by estimating the C storage and GHG emissions factors for habitats predicted using GIS-based flood mapping. This tool will help land managers to assess trade-offs between conservation and C management when prioritising sites for coastal protection or managed re-alignment.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/J016608/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- DTG - directed
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Open CASE
This training grant award has a total value of £80,876
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Fees | Total - Student Stipend | Total - RTSG |
|---|---|---|
| £13,812 | £55,285 | £11,780 |
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