Volcanic environment impact on andic properties and carbon dynamics in drained peatlands
(2024) In Student thesis series INES NGEM01 20241Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
- Abstract
- The world’s soils are the most significant terrestrial C store. They store at least twice the amount of carbon as the atmosphere. Peatlands are the most significant long-term soil C store, even though they only cover about 3% of the terrestrial land surface and thus play a vital role in the global C cycle. Iceland is an island in the North Atlantic characterised by high volcanic activity, with volcanic soils being the most common soil type. As Iceland is an island characterised by high volcanic activity, it is a great setting to investigate how mineral inputs affect soil properties in peatlands. The major contributor to these emissions is attributed to the drainage of organic wetland soils. The aim of this research was to investigate how... (More)
- The world’s soils are the most significant terrestrial C store. They store at least twice the amount of carbon as the atmosphere. Peatlands are the most significant long-term soil C store, even though they only cover about 3% of the terrestrial land surface and thus play a vital role in the global C cycle. Iceland is an island in the North Atlantic characterised by high volcanic activity, with volcanic soils being the most common soil type. As Iceland is an island characterised by high volcanic activity, it is a great setting to investigate how mineral inputs affect soil properties in peatlands. The major contributor to these emissions is attributed to the drainage of organic wetland soils. The aim of this research was to investigate how mineral deposits from tephra and aeolian material from eroding drylands affect soil properties, focusing on andic properties and carbon dynamics in drained peatlands. It also aimed to explore how these properties vary over time and if they are related. Comparing the results of this research with previous similar work on undrained peatlands gives insight into the impact of drainage on the development of pedogenic minerals and C dynamics in peatlands of volcanic regions. Three drained peatlands in NW of Iceland with different degrees of exposure to eolian deposition were examined for this research. Results found that andic properties vary with peatlands depending on their distance from volcanic and barren areas. Compared to their undrained counterparts, andic properties were found to have a slightly higher value in this study which could possibly be attributed to increased oxygenation. Andic soil properties were not found to have the same effect on carbon dynamics as in undrained peatlands where they were found to hamper soil organic matter decomposition. The results presented here point to andic properties having the opposite effect in drained peatlands. While tephra layers have been found to act as barriers, preventing SOM decomposition, this was not found to be the case in this research. Possibly these barrier effects have been counteracted by drainage. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Soils are essential for our planet, acting as the largest natural storage for carbon, holding twice as much carbon as the atmosphere. Among them, peatlands stand out as crucial long-term carbon reservoirs, despite covering only about 3% of the Earth's surface. This study focuses on Iceland, a island in the North Atlantic known for its volcanic activity and consequently, soil with volcanic properties. This research explores how volcanic ash and wind-blown materials influence the properties of peatlands, especially after they have been drained, with a focus on volcanic soil properties and carbon dyncamis. Draining these organic wetlands significantly contributes to carbon emissions, making understanding these changes vital for our climate.... (More)
- Soils are essential for our planet, acting as the largest natural storage for carbon, holding twice as much carbon as the atmosphere. Among them, peatlands stand out as crucial long-term carbon reservoirs, despite covering only about 3% of the Earth's surface. This study focuses on Iceland, a island in the North Atlantic known for its volcanic activity and consequently, soil with volcanic properties. This research explores how volcanic ash and wind-blown materials influence the properties of peatlands, especially after they have been drained, with a focus on volcanic soil properties and carbon dyncamis. Draining these organic wetlands significantly contributes to carbon emissions, making understanding these changes vital for our climate. This research examined three drained peatlands in northwestern Iceland, each experiencing different levels of wind-blown mineral deposits. It was found that the volcanic soil properties varied based on proximity to volcanic and barren areas. Interestingly, drained peatlands showed slightly enhanced volcanic soil properties compared to undrained ones, likely due to increased oxygen levels. However, it was discovered that the relationship between volcanic soil properties and carbon dynamics differed from what was expected. While in undrained peatlands, certain volcanic soil properties hindered organic matter breakdown, this was not the case in drained peatlands. Instead, the effects of volcanic ash and other wind-blown volcanic materials, which typically hinder decomposition, seemed to have the opposite effect. It was also noted here that while volcanic ash, in form of tephra layers have been found to act as barriers, protecting organic matter from decomposition, was not found to be the case in this research. possibly due to the impact of drainage. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9178095
- author
- Benediktsdóttir, Elva Björk LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- NGEM01 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Physical geography and Ecosystem Science, Physical Geography, Ecosystem Analysis, Soil Science, Peatlands, Volcanic Environment
- publication/series
- Student thesis series INES
- report number
- 682
- language
- English
- additional info
- External supervisors: Susanne C. Möckel, Dep. of Life- and Environmental Science, University of Iceland,
Joshua Ratcliffe, Faculty of Forest Ecology and Management, SLU Umeå
The following grants contributed to this project:
Rannís project grant (no. 228888-051 and no. 228888-052).
Project grants from the Energy Fund of Landsvirkjun (Orkurannsóknasjóður Landsvirkjunar) (NÝR-12 - 2022 and NÝR-12 –2023). - id
- 9178095
- date added to LUP
- 2024-11-21 14:35:25
- date last changed
- 2024-11-21 14:35:25
@misc{9178095,
abstract = {{The world’s soils are the most significant terrestrial C store. They store at least twice the amount of carbon as the atmosphere. Peatlands are the most significant long-term soil C store, even though they only cover about 3% of the terrestrial land surface and thus play a vital role in the global C cycle. Iceland is an island in the North Atlantic characterised by high volcanic activity, with volcanic soils being the most common soil type. As Iceland is an island characterised by high volcanic activity, it is a great setting to investigate how mineral inputs affect soil properties in peatlands. The major contributor to these emissions is attributed to the drainage of organic wetland soils. The aim of this research was to investigate how mineral deposits from tephra and aeolian material from eroding drylands affect soil properties, focusing on andic properties and carbon dynamics in drained peatlands. It also aimed to explore how these properties vary over time and if they are related. Comparing the results of this research with previous similar work on undrained peatlands gives insight into the impact of drainage on the development of pedogenic minerals and C dynamics in peatlands of volcanic regions. Three drained peatlands in NW of Iceland with different degrees of exposure to eolian deposition were examined for this research. Results found that andic properties vary with peatlands depending on their distance from volcanic and barren areas. Compared to their undrained counterparts, andic properties were found to have a slightly higher value in this study which could possibly be attributed to increased oxygenation. Andic soil properties were not found to have the same effect on carbon dynamics as in undrained peatlands where they were found to hamper soil organic matter decomposition. The results presented here point to andic properties having the opposite effect in drained peatlands. While tephra layers have been found to act as barriers, preventing SOM decomposition, this was not found to be the case in this research. Possibly these barrier effects have been counteracted by drainage.}},
author = {{Benediktsdóttir, Elva Björk}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Student thesis series INES}},
title = {{Volcanic environment impact on andic properties and carbon dynamics in drained peatlands}},
year = {{2024}},
}