This presentation was held at the DUE Permafrost 2014 workshop, 12th of Febuary 2014, Frascati, Italy
Workshop: climate-cryosphere.org/meetings/due-permafrost-2014
Runkle, Benjamin
Institute of Soil Science, University of Hamburg, Hamburg Germany
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Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key component of the energy and water balances in permafrost tundra, establishing hydrological conditions for the next year and controlling several aspects of the carbon cycle. Its accurate measurement provides crucial information on ecosystem functioning. In this study we report field measurements from seven summers (2002-06; 2012-13) using the eddy covariance method in Russia’s Lena River Delta. Interannual differences – including two August periods with high ET and two with low ET – are locally driven more by changes in air temperature and vapor pressure deficit than in land surface characteristics or radiation. We explore predictive relationships between various land surface indicators (e.g., NDVI, LAI, LST, Growing season length) derived from remote sensing products (MODIS and ESA DUE Permafrost products) to quantify local mechanisms necessary for upscaling to the Delta region. We conclude with implications for the local carbon cycle, particularly CO2 uptake and release.
Keywords: Permafrost, hydrology, remote sensing, carbon cycle, peatlands, eddy covariance, gas exchange, environmental science, soil