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代表了 是全球碳循环的重要储存库， 大气甲烷的来源。 两个目标领域已 选择在这些泥炭盆地，泥炭几乎覆盖了 区域景观：1）冰川湖阿加西泥炭地 明尼苏达州和2）安大略北方的奥尔巴尼河泥炭地。 这两个区域代表沿着主要 生态和气候梯度。 格拉泽博士和西格尔将利用一个嵌套的样本网格 这些系统中的点来确定1）碳储存率 或损失，2）甲烷通量的速率和机制，以及3） 控制溶解气体流量的水文地质过程 和溶质通过这些泥炭沉积物。 他们将测试四个 泥炭地的发展模式，以确定这些泥炭盆地， 是碳的源、汇或稳态储存库。 和 对甲烷和其他溶解气体通量的区域估计 两个研究区域中的溶质将与空间 统计学和水文地质计算机模型。 这个项目的重点是一个重要的碳库 这可能与气候变化密切相关。研究 该项目由两位备受推崇的科学家主持， 可以使用一流的设施。 这一重要成果 研究将提高对过程的理解， 有助于全球环境的变化。

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.