ROA: Collaborative Research: Two Major Peat Basins in Boreal America: Sources, Sinks, or Steady-state Reservoirs in the Global Carbon Cycle?

北美的大型泥炭盆地是全球碳循环中的一个重要储存库，也是大气甲烷的重要来源。在这些泥炭盆地中选择了两个目标区，泥炭几乎覆盖了该地区的景观：1)明尼苏达州的冰川湖阿加西湖泥炭地；2)安大略省北部的奥尔巴尼河泥炭地。这两个地区代表着主要生态和气候梯度上的重要参照点。格拉泽博士和西格尔博士将利用这些系统中样本点的嵌套网格来确定1)碳储存或损失的速率，2)甲烷通量的速率和机制，以及3)控制通过这些泥炭沉积物的溶解气体和溶质通量的水文地质过程。他们将测试泥炭地开发的四种模型，以确定这些泥炭盆地是碳的源、汇还是稳定的储存库。并将使用空间统计和水文地质计算机模型对这两个研究区域的甲烷和其他溶解溶质的通量进行区域估计。该项目的重点是一个重要的碳库，它可能与气候变化密切相关。这项研究计划是由两位备受尊敬的科学家进行的，他们拥有一流的设施。这项重要研究的结果将增进对促进全球环境变化的过程的理解。

The large peat basins of North America represent an important reservoir in the global carbon cycle and a significant source of atmospheric methane. Two target areas have been selected in these peat basins where peat nearly covers the regional landscape: 1) the Glacial Lake Agassiz peatlands of Minnesota and 2) the Albany River peatlands in northern Ontario. These two areas represent important reference points along major ecologic and climatic gradients. Dr. Glaser and Siegel will utilize a nested grid of sample points in these systems to determine 1) rates of carbon storage or loss, 2) rates and mechanisms of methane flux, and 3) hydrogeologic processes that control the flux of dissolved gases and solutes through these peat deposits. They will test four models of peatland development to determine if these peat basins are sources, sinks, or steady-state reservoirs for carbon. And regional estimates of the flux of methane and other dissolved solutes in the two study areas will be made with spatial statistics and hydrogeologic computer models. This project is focused on an important reservoir of carbon that may be intimately linked with climatic change. The research program is being conducted by two highly regarded scientists who have access to excellent facilities. Results from this important research will improve understanding of the processes that contribute to changes in the global environment.