Integrating Ecosystem Patch Contributions to Stream Corridor Carbon Dioxide and Methane Fluxes

The heterogeneity of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) sources within across watersheds presents a challenge to understanding the contributions different ecosystem patch types stream corridor watershed cycling. Changing hydrologic connections between patches (e.g., streams, vernal pools, hillslopes) can influence greenhouse gas emissions, but spatiotemporal dynamics emissions among are not well-quantified. To identify patterns corridors, we measured concentrations fluxes over two summers at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, NC. We sampled CO2 CH4 along four channels (including flowing dry reaches), adjacent riparian hillslopes. Stream were spatially heterogeneous. All streams atmosphere (median = 97.2 mmol m−2d−1) or sinks depending on location (−0.19 4.57 m−2d−1). lower during drier sampling years stable from month in summer. also varied by both type; presence pool had strongest impact emissions. Vernal emitted more (246 1.95 m−2d−1, respectively) than their streams. High resolution corridors improves our terrestrial, riparian, aquatic zones overall catchment