Research Projects

SGER: Coupling of Arctic Atmospheric Chemistry and Tundra Ecophysiology by Biogenic Volatile Organic Compound Fluxes

PI: Mark Potosnak

Project Period: 8/1/2005 - 7/31/2006

Funded by: NSF Small Grant for Exploratory Research

Right: View of the Brooks range from the Imnavait Creek watershed near the Toolik Field Station in Alaska. (Click image for enlargement.)

Keywords: BVOCs, BVOC, Arctic, isoprene, monoterpene, tundra

Project Description

This project will conduct the first comprehensive biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emission measurements for an Arctic tundra ecosystem with the goals of understanding (1) the relationship between BVOC emissions and tundra ecosystem properties and processes; (2) the impact of BVOC emissions on atmospheric chemistry and secondary organic aerosol formation in the Arctic; and (3) the direct or indirect effects of global change factors in the Arctic on BVOC emissions. The project has two experimental components which span spatial and temporal scales to achieve these goals. First, two intensive field campaigns will use micrometeorological techniques to measure isoprene, monoterpene, ozone, and aerosol fluxes above a moist acidic tundra ecosystem near the Toolik Field Station in collaboration with an ongoing project studying ecosystem carbon balance. This component also includes seasonal measurements of whole-system isoprene fluxes at the existing CO2 flux tower, and these data will be used (1) with a photochemical model to study impacts on atmospheric chemistry and (2) to determine the amount of carbon lost from the ecosystem as BVOCs. Second, leaf-level and chamber enclosure measurements at existing global change factor manipulation sites will provide insight into the physiological role of BVOC production for plants found in tundra ecosystems and allow for predictions of how ecosystem BVOC emissions will change in the future.

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