RAPID: Nitrogen Cycling Immediately after Fire in an Alberta Bog

全球范围内，泥炭地覆盖地球的3- 4%？虽然地球的陆地面积很小，但它们却储存了世界上25-30%的水。的土壤碳（C）和9-16%的世界？泥炭中的土壤氮（N）。C的循环，特别是沼泽C下沉的强度，随着火灾后时间的变化而发生显着且可预见的变化。然而，了解如何N循环变化沼泽作为一个函数的时间，因为火灾是未知的。 这是一个快速反应研究（RAPID）奖，以支持一个项目，研究碳（C）和氮（N）循环在Utikuma沼泽，在加拿大西部阿尔伯塔。 该网站代表了一个独特的机会，研究链接沼泽N和C的循环，在最近的野火活动，摧毁了网站，历史上较低的大气氮沉降（1公斤/公顷/年），这锚定的网站作为一个全球性的终端成员在大气氮沉降的频谱，并因为在加拿大泥炭地发现的大型商店的C。泥炭地的北方森林是至关重要的全球陆地N和C平衡，和大量的N和C存储在泥炭存款的脆弱性具有科学和政策的影响。随着快速资金启动在燃烧Utikuma沼泽的调查，该项目预计将改变目前对沼泽N循环的理解，这在很大程度上忽略了加拿大西部北部沼泽火灾的潜在后果。该项目还将支持一个MS。维拉诺瓦大学的一名学生和一名本科生实验室/现场助理。

Globally, peatlands cover 3-4 % of the Earth?s land surface, yet they store 25-30% of the world?s soil carbon (C) and 9-16% of the world?s soil nitrogen (N) in peat. The cycling of C, and in particular the strength of the bog C sink, changes dramatically and predictably as a function of time since fire. However, understanding of how N cycling changes in bogs as a function of time since fire is unknown. This is a Rapid Response Research (RAPID) award to support a project to study carbon (C) and nitrogen (N)cycling at Utikuma Bog, in western Alberta Canada. The site represents an unique opportunity for research on linked bog N and C cycling in light of the recent wildfire activity which decimated the site, the historically low atmospheric N deposition (1 kg/ha/yr), which anchors the site as a global end-member in the spectrum of atmospheric N deposition, and because of the large stores of C found in Canadian peatlands. Peatlands of the boreal forest are vital to global terrestrial N and C balances, and the vulnerability of the large amounts of N and C stored in peat deposits has both science and policy implications. With RAPID funding to initiate investigations at the burned Utikuma Bog, this project is expected to transform current understanding of bog N cycling, which has largely ignored the potential ramifications of fire in boreal bogs of western Canada. The project will also support one M.S. student at Villanova University and one undergraduate lab/field assistant.