Mount Holyoke College

Wetland Ecosystem Research Seminar ES 321

Peatlands have sequestered vast stores of soil carbon since deglaciation, accounting for approximately one-third of the global pool of soil carbon. This seminar will focus on responses of northern wetlands to climate change. In particular, we will address three main topics: the environmental controls on interannual and seasonal variability in CO2 and CH4 gas exchanges, the responses of plant communities along hydrologic and nutrient gradients to climate variability, and the influence of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on carbon exchanges and vegetation. Group discussion of primary scientific literature, independent research, and investigation of research methods are core components. Pre-requisites: At least 8 credits of 200 or 300-level laboratory science, and permission of the instructor.

Readings: Recommended books for background reading: Boreal Peatland Ecosystems, eds. R.K. Wieder and D.H. Vitt, Springer, 2006; Biology of Peatlands by H. Rydin and J. Jeglum, Oxford University Press, 2006. Additional readings from the scientific literature will be the basis of class discussion.

Instructor: Jill Bubier (jbubier), Clapp 308, x2607; office hours by appointment
Co-instructor: Tuula Larmola (tlarmola), Clapp 313; office hours by appointment
Teaching assistants: Bianca Young (young20b) and Chrissy Kobyljanec (kobyl20c)
Classroom: Clapp Laboratory 225

Date	Topic	Readings (preliminary)	Due dates
Jan 26	Introduction: goals
Feb. 2	SNOW DAY
Feb. 9	Wetland classification and terminology Peatland development	Boreal Peatland Ecosystems ch. 1- 3 The Biology of Peatlands, ch. 1, 2, 7 *Turunen et al. 2002
Feb. 16	Winter ecology, hydrology and floodplain swamps Field trip: Wetlands of Stony Brook	The Biology of Peatlands, ch. 3, 8 Marchand, Life in the Cold, ch. 2 Mitsch and Gosselink, Wetlands, ch. 14 Jones 1991 (optional)
Feb. 23	Carbon cycle and C balance Environmental controls on ecosystem CO2 flux (Finland and Canada examples) Scientific method	Boreal Peatland Ecosystems ch. 9, pp 165-172 Gorham et al. 1991 (Roulet et al. 2007) *Aurela et al. 2001 Gotelli and Ellison 2004, ch. 4	Discuss Research Ideas
March 2	Carbon cycle and C balance Plant Production and Decomposition Conceptual framework	Boreal Peatland Ecosystems ch. 7- 8 The Biology of Peatlands, ch. 12 Szumigalski and Bayley 1996 Moore et al. 2007 (Ecosystems) Shaver et al. 2000 (BioScience*)	Research Proposals due March 1
March 9	Environmental controls on CH4 flux	Boreal Peatland Ecosystems ch. 9 Bubier and Moore 1994 *Turetsky et al. 2008	Peer Review
March 16	Spring break
March 23	CH4 production, oxidation, and transport Effects of atmospheric nitrogen on wetlands Conceptual framework	Strom et al. 2005 Debate: Does warming increase or decrease CH4 emissions from peatlands? Boreal Peatland Ecosystems, ch. 10 Jonasson et al. 2001 Bragazza et al. 2006 *Limpens et al. 2003 (New Phytologist) Galloway et al. 2003
March 30	Lab equipment: leaf photosynthesis measurements with Li-6400	Chapin et al ch. 5 on photosynthesis Reich et al 1998 (plant functional groups) Granath et al. 2009 (Sphagnum and N deposition)	First drafts of paper
April 6	Field trip: Granby Bog	Boreal Peatland Ecosystems, ch. 4 The Biology of Peatlands, ch. 4 Aerts 1995 (TREE) (evergreens) Van Breemen 1995 (Sphagnum)	1st Peer Review
April 13	Field equipment: NEE chamber measurements with Li-6200	Bubier et al. 1998 Juutinen et al. 2010 Disturbance: fire? permafrost? N deposition?
April 20	Student research presentations		Second draft of paper
April 27	Student research presentations		2nd Peer Review

Last modified on March 30, 2011.