This thesis investigates the abiotic control of carbon (C) and water vapour fluxes (FCO₂ and E, respectively) in a New Zealand Pinus radiata D. Don plantation and a nearby clearcut. It concentrates on the limitation of these fluxes imposed by growing season soil water deficit. This results from low precipitation (658 mm a⁻¹) in combination with a limited root zone water storage capacity of the very stony soil (> 30% by volume). The thesis analyses results from seven eddy covariance flux measurement campaigns between November 1994 and March 1996. The study site was located in Balmoral Forest, 100 km north-west of Christchurch (42° 52' S, 172° 45' E), in a (in November 1994) 8-year-old stand. One set of measurements was conducted in an adjacent clearcut. Ecosystem flux measurements were accompanied by separate measurements of ground fluxes and of the associated environmental variables. Flux analysis focussed on the underlying processes of assimilation (Ac), canopy stomatal conductance (Gc) and respiration (Reco), using biophysical models coupled to soil water balance and temperature subroutines. Aiming to link time inegrated net ecosystem C (NEP) to tree growth, sequestration in tree biomass (NPP) was quantified by regular measurements of stem diameter using allometric relationships. Average rates of FCO₂ and E were highest in spring (324 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ and 207 mol m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively) when the abiotic environment was most favourable for Gc and Ac. During summer, fluxes were impeded by the depletion of available soil water (θ) and the co-occurrence of high air saturation deficit (D) and temperature (T) and were equal or smaller than during winter (FCO₂ = 46 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ in summer and 115 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ in winter; E = 57 and 47 mol m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively). With increasingly dry soil, fluxes and their associated ratios became predominantly regulated by D rather than quantum irradiance, and on particularly hot days the ecosystem was a net C source. Interannually, forest C and water fluxes increased strongly with rainfall, and the simultaneously reduced D and T. For two succeeding years, the second having 3 % more rain, modelled NEP was 515 and 716 g C m⁻² a⁻¹, Ac 1690 and 1841 g C m⁻² a⁻¹ and Reco 1175 and 1125 g C m⁻² a⁻¹. NEP / E increased in wetter (and cooler) years (1.3 and 1.5 g kg⁻¹), reflecting a relatively larger gain in NEP. Responding mainly to increased rainfall during commonly dry parts of the year (ie summer), and reflecting the otherwise benign maritime climate of New Zealand, NEP during the winter months could exceed NEP during the middle of the notional tree growing season. Annual Ac, NEP, and NPP were strongly linearly related. This relation did not hold during bi-weekly periods when the processes of intermediate C storage were influential. Separate knowledge of tree growth and C fluxes allowed quantification of autotrophic, and heterotrophic respiration (Rhet≈ 0.4 NEP), as well as fine-root turnover (≈0.2 NEP). The ratio of NEP and stem volume growth was conservative (0.24 t C m⁻³) and allows a direct connection to be made between ecosystem carbon fluxes and forest yield tables. In the absence of living roots, the clearcut flux measurements demonstrated the expected limitation of Rhet by soil temperature (Ts) and θ. However, an additional 'pumping effect' was discovered at the open site whereby turbulence increased CO₂ efflux considerably when the soil surface was wet. Accounting for the combined effects of Ts, θ and turbulence, annual Rhet at the clear-cut site (loss to the atmosphere) was »50 % of NEP (C sequestered from the atmosphere) in the nearby forest. Clearly, there is an important contribution of C fluxes during early stages of ecosystem development to the total C sequestered over the lifetime of a plantation.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The turbulent fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) were investigated in two sites of irrigated rice in southern Brazil, using the eddy covariance technique over 385 days of analysis at the site of Paraiso do Sul and 683 days in site Cachoeira do Sul also used the model of filling the gaps in order to estimate the net ecosystem exchange CO2 -C (NEE). Throughout the growing season, rice fields, both for the site of Paraiso do Sul to the site of Cachoeira do Sul, acted as carbon sinks (C). During fallow periods, these fields were the source of C. The NEE accumulated at the site of Cachoeira do Sul was similar in both cycles and practically equal to the estimated site of Paraiso do Sul. The GPP accumulated during the crop cycle 2010-2011, the rice field of Cachoeira do Sul, was less than 12% of the 2011-2012 cycle and higher than 15% of the site of Paraiso do Sul. The Re accumulated was similar at the site of Paraíso do Sul in the 2010-2011 cycle Cachoeira do Sul, but less than the 2011- 2012 cycle. The values of NEE, GPP and R e for the site of Paraíso do Sul were - 270.53 gCm2 , -821.19gCm2 and 527.59gCm2 , respectively. To the site of Cachoeira do Sul, were -282,53 gCm2 , -933,40gCm2 and 597,05gCm2 for NEE, GPP and Re , respectively, in the 2010-2011 cycle. For the 2011-2012 cycle in the rice field of Cachoeira do Sul, the values of NEE, GPP and Re were -279,69gCm2 , - 1062,64gCm2 and 716,58gCm2 , respectively. The total C accumulated over the period analyzed for the site of Paraíso do Sul was -45,90gCm2 , considering this area of rice cultivation, as a sink for C. While the growing area of Cachoeira do Sul was considered a source of C (19,94 gCm2 ). Showing by this that long periods of fallow contribute significantly to the accumulated fluxes due to constant presence of vegetation. The contribution of this work will assist in the investigation of CO2 in these ecosystems. / Os fluxos turbulentos de dióxido de carbono (CO2 ) foram investigados em dois sítios de cultura de arroz irrigado no Sul do Brasil, utilizando a técnica de covariância de vórtices ao longo de 385 dias de análise no sítio de Paraíso do Sul e de 683 dias, no sítio de Cachoeira do Sul. Além disso, utilizou-se o modelo de preenchimento das lacunas com o objetivo de estimar a troca líquida de C-CO2 no ecossistema (NEE). Ao longo do período de cultivo, os campos de arroz, tanto para o sítio de Paraíso do Sul quanto para o sítio de Cachoeira do Sul, atuaram como sumidouros de carbono (C). Durante os períodos de pousio, esses campos foram fontes de C. O NEE acumulado, no sítio de Cachoeira do Sul foi semelhante em ambos os ciclos e praticamente igual ao estimado no sítio de Paraíso do Sul. A GPP acumulada durante o ciclo de cultivo de 2010-2011, no campo de arroz de Cachoeira do Sul, foi inferior a 12% do ciclo de 2011-2012 e superior em 15% a do sítio de Paraíso do Sul. A Re acumulada foi semelhante no sítio de Paraíso do Sul e no ciclo de 2010- 2011 de Cachoeira do Sul, mas inferior a do ciclo de 2011-2012. Os valores de NEE, GPP e Re para o sítio de Paraíso do Sul foram de -270,53 gCm2 , -821,19gCm2 e 527,59gCm2 , respectivamente. Para o sítio de Cachoeira do Sul, foram de - 282,53gCm2 , -933,40gCm2 e 597,05gCm2 para NEE, GPP e Re , respectivamente, no ciclo de 2010-2011. Para o ciclo de 2011-2012, no campo de arroz de Cachoeira do Sul, os valores de NEE, GPP e Re foram de -279,69gCm2 , - 1062,640gCm2 e 716,58gCm2 , respectivamente. O total de C acumulado ao longo do período analisado para o sítio de Paraíso do Sul foi de -45,90gCm2 , considerando esta área de cultivo de arroz, como um sumidouro de C. Enquanto que a área de cultivo de Cachoeira do Sul foi considerada fonte de C (19,94 gCm2 ). Mostrando com isso, que períodos longos de pousio contribuem consideravelmente para os fluxos acumulados devido a permanência constante de vegetação. A contribuição deste trabalho auxiliará na investigação das emissões de CO2 nesses ecossistemas.

<p>The Earth–atmosphere energy balance is dictated by incoming solar radiation and outgoing thermal radiation with greenhouse gases (GHG) and aerosols playing a major role in this effect. The atmospheric abundance and properties of airborne particles and gases lead to the redistribution of radiative energy, resulting in a warming or cooling effect. However, the extent of this effect remains to be insufficiently constrained. Improved quantification and characterization of GHG and aerosols are important requirements to inform current climate models. High-precision instrumentation and thoughtful experimental strategies are necessary to yield various analytical measurement datasets, despite complex meteorological and environmental conditions. This dissertation focuses on the assessment of CO₂and atmospheric particles from aircraft-based measurements enabling representative and spatially sampling of local regions of interest.</p> <p>Chapter 1 provides introductory discussion on the atmospheric implication of GHG and aerosols on the climate and related uncertainties. Chapter 2 summarizes the employed experimental techniques for quantification of GHG and characterization of atmospheric particles. We relied on an aircraft platform equipped with an air turbulence probe for 3D wind vector calculation and a high-precision cavity ring-down spectrometer for the quantification of ambient CO₂, CH₄, and H2O_<em>v</em>. Furthermore, the simultaneous composition and morphological information of aerosol samples were assessed using complementary chemical imaging techniques. Chemical composition of elements with Z > 23 was determined using computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (CCSEM/EDX). Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy coupled with near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (STXM/NEXAFS) was used to determined spatially resolved elemental specific molecular information present in atmospheric particles.</p> <p>Chapter 3 presents our study focused on the characterization of mixed mineral dust and biomass burning (BB) aerosols during an intensive burning event. We identified distinct particle types based on individual elemental contribution pre-, syn-, and post-burning event including highly carbonaceous (54–83%) particles, aged mineral dust (1–6%), and sulfur-containing particles (17–41%). X-ray spectromicroscopy techniques were used to characterize the internal chemical heterogeneity of individual BB particles and the morphology of soot inclusions, as well as changes in the particle organic volume fraction (OVF). An estimation method for particle component masses (i.e., organics, elemental carbon, and inorganics) inferred from STXM measurements was used to determine quantitative mixing state metrics based on entropy-derived diversity measures for particles acquired at different periods of the BB event. In general, there was a small difference in the particle-specific diversity among the samples (<em>D</em>_<em>α</em> = 1.3–1.8). However, the disparity from the bulk population diversity observed during the intense periods was found to have high values of <em>D</em>_<em>γ</em> = 2.5–2.9, while particles collected outside of the burning event displayed lower bulk diversity of <em>D</em>_<em>γ</em> = 1.5–2.0. Quantitative methods obtained from chemical imaging measurements presented here will serve to accurately characterize the evolution of mixed BB aerosols within urban environments.</p> <p>Chapter 4 follows the investigation of the physicochemical properties of atmospheric particles collected onboard a research aircraft flown over the Azores using offline spectromicroscopy techniques. Particles were collected within the marine boundary layer (MBL) and free troposphere (FT) comparing samples after long-range atmospheric transport episodes facilitated by dry intrusion (DI) events. The quantification of the OVF of individual particles derived from X-ray spectromicroscopy, which relates to the multi-component internal composition of individual particles, showed a factor of 2.06±0.16 and 1.11±0.04 increase in the MBL and FT, respectively, among DI samples. We show that supplying particle OVF into the <em>κ</em>-Köhler equation can be used as a good approximation of field-measured <em>in situ</em> CCN concentrations. We also report changes in the <em>κ</em> values in the MBL from <em>κ</em>_{MBL, non-DI} = 0.48 to <em>κ</em>_{MBL, DI} = 0.41, while changes in the FT result in <em>κ</em>_{FT, non-D}_I = 0.36 to <em>κ</em>_{FT, DI} = 0.33, which is consistent with enhancements in OVF followed by the DI episodes. Our observations suggest that the entrainment of particles from long-range continental sources alters the mixing state population and CCN properties of aerosol in the region.</p> <p>Chapter 5 discusses the identification and characterization of fine-mode primary biogenic atmospheric particles (PBAP) from the harvesting of crops. Particle samples were analyzed using complementary chemical imaging techniques to apportion the particle-type population based on their size, morphology, and composition. The contribution of PBAP in the size range of 0.15−1.25 μm is estimated to be 10−12% of ∼39,000 analyzed particles. In addition, particle viscosity and phase state were inferred with X-ray spectromicroscopic analysis has shown that the fine-mode organic particles collected are viscous/semisolid (10²−10¹² Pa s) while the majority of PBAP fragments are solid (>10¹²Pa s). The observation of submicrometer, solid carbonaceous fragments of biogenic origin have implications for the regional CCN and ice nuclei budget. Therefore, the seasonal harvesting of crops may play an important, yet unrecognized, role in regional cloud formation and climate.</p> <p>Chapter 6  explores the measurements and quantification of latent heat, sensible heat, and CO₂ fluxes among different land covers in the surrounding area of urban regions using airborne flux techniques. Cities account for the majority of the global CO₂ emissions due to the consumption of energy, resources, infrastructure, and transportation demands. Accordingly, the accurate quantification of these emissions, with exceptional precision, is necessary so that progress towards emission reduction can be monitored. However, a major challenge in quantifying urban emission estimates arises from accurate background emission definitions and apportionment of emission sources in complex urban environments. Airborne eddy covariance measurements were performed to quantify the bidirectional exchange of latent heat, sensible heat, and CO₂ fluxes in the upwind region of Indianapolis within an active biosphere. Here, we observed differences in fluxes across different days and land covers (e.g., corn, soybean, and forests) allowing us to understand the impact of seasonal variability in urban emissions during the full growing season. These experiments illustrate the capability of a research aircraft to perform technically challenging near-direct measurements of atmosphere–surface exchange over local and regional scales.</p> <p>Chapter 7 presents a new method to spatially allocate airborne mass balance CO₂ emissions. We performed seven aircraft measurements downwind of New York City (NYC) quantifying CO₂ emissions during the non-growing seasons of 2018–2020. A series of prior inventories and footprint transport models were used to account for flux contribution outside the area of interest and attribute emission sources within policy-relevant boundaries of the five boroughs encompassing NYC and then employ the modeled enhancement fraction (Φ) to the bulk emission observations from the mass balance approach. Here, we calculated a campaign-averaged source apportioned mass balance CO₂ emission rate of 56±24 kmol/s. The performance and accuracy of this approach were evaluated against other published works including inventory scaling and inverse modeling, yielding a difference of 5.1% with respect to the average emission rate reported by the two complementary approaches. Utilizing the ensemble of emissions inventories and transport models, we also evaluated the overall sources of variability induced by the prior (1.7%), the transport (4.2%), and the daily variability (42.0%). This approach provides a solution to interpreting aircraft-based mass balance results in complex emission environments.</p> <p>Chapter 8 concludes with a brief discussion of technological advances and research outlooks for X-ray spectromicroscopy analysis on atmospheric particles and the quantification of GHG. Opportunities for future applications and novel development of CCSEM/EDX and STXM/NEXAFS to substantially extend the instrument capabilities and improve our understanding of the physicochemical properties of individual atmospheric particles. Chapter 8 also discusses recent developments in satellite-based CO₂ monitoring to complement direct airborne observations. In recent years, significant progress has been made in satellite-based measurements of CO₂ to reveal the spatio-temporal variation in atmospheric CO₂ concentration. The column-averaged dry air CO₂ mole have reached an accuracy of ~1 ppm with a spatial resolution of less than 4 km. Furthermore, column-averaged retrievals can be used to detect and estimate the surface CO₂ fluxes in an active biosphere, quantify anthropogenic emissions over megacities, and monitor the transport of fossil fuel plumes across different continents and seasons.</p>

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Les forêts boréales stockent de grandes quantités de carbone organique et jouent un rôle important dans le climat planètaire. Le climat est étroitement associé à la surface terrestre à travers les flux de gaz à effet de serre, d’énergie et de vapeur d’eau. Dans la zone de pergélisol sporadique nord-américaine, l’affaissement du sol attribuable au dégel provoque l’expansion de milieux humides sans pergélisol remplaçant des forêts avec pergélisol. Cependant, l’étendue spatiale de ces changements et leurs conséquences sur le climat sont inconnues. Dans cette étude, j’analyse les flux turbulents d’un paysage comprenant des forêts boréales et des milieux humides dans la partie sud de la Taïga des plaines, T.N.-O., Canada. J’associe ces flux avec la modélisation d’empreintes de flux, des données satellite, des données paléoécologiques, et des projections climatiques afin de caractériser l’impact des changements de la couverture terrestre sur les interactions entre la terre et l’atmosphère. Dans la Taïga des plaines, la perte de forêt boréale attribuable au dégel est d’une importance égale à celle due aux feux de forêt. La perte de forêt modifie les flux turbulents d’énergie à travers des changements dans les propriétés aérodynamiques et écophysiologiques de la surface terrestre. L’accroissement de l’albédo cause de petites réductions dans la somme des flux turbulents de chaleur sensible (H) et de chaleur latente (LE)). La diminution de la rugosité et l’augmentation de l’humidité de la surface augmentent toutefois LE tout en réduisant H, ce qui mènerait à une baisse des températures estivales et à une augmentation de l’humidité de l’air, d’après des simulations réalisées à l’aide d’un modèle de la couche limite planétaire. Contrairement à l’effet biophysique de refroidissement du climat régional dû à la perte de couvert forestier, l’expansion des milieux humides et l’augmentation des émissions de méthane (CH4) provoque un réchauffement du climat. L’expansion des milieux humides dans la partie sud de la Taïga des plaines entraîne une augmentation des émissions de 0.034 g CH4 m-2 a-1. Les taux d’absorption de CO2 caractéristiques de ces paysages sont trop faibles pour neutraliser le réchauffement du climat dû aux émissions de CH4 d’ici la fin du 21ème siècle. Tout en dégelant rapidement, ces paysages boréaux restent des puits de CO2, absorbant 74 g CO2 m-2 a-1. L’expansion des milieux humides n’affecte pas les émissions nettes de CO2, les changements de la productivité primaire brute (PPB) et de la respiration de l’écosystème (RE) étant d’une magnitude similaire. Les répercussions négligeables sur les flux nets de CO2 sont largement compensées par les répercussions climatiques directes d’un réchauffement de la température de l’air. Un scénario de réchauffement élevé mène à un accroissement de RE dépassant significativement l’accroissement de PPB. Dans la Taïga des plaines, le dégel du pergélisol a donc des répercussions climatiques qui s’opposent aux plans biophysiques et biogéochimiques. Dans un climat plus chaud, le dégel modifie la façon dont les paysages interagissent avec le climat, ce qui souligne la nécessité d’intégrer les changements dans la couverture terrestre attribuable au dégel dans les modèles du système Terre. / Boreal forests store large amounts of organic carbon and are an important component of the regional and global climate systems. Climate and land surface are closely coupled through the land-atmosphere exchange of greenhouse gases, such as CO2 and CH4, and of energy and water vapor. In lowlands of the North American sporadic permafrost region, thaw-induced surface subsidence leads to expansion of permafrost-free wetlands at the expense of boreal forests underlain by permafrost. However, the spatial extent of these land cover changes and their implications for land-atmosphere interactions are unknown. In this study, I analyze eddy covariance flux measurements from an organic-rich boreal forest-wetland landscape in the southern Taiga Plains, NT, Canada. I combine these measurements with flux footprint modeling, satellite remote sensing data, paleoecological records, and downscaled climate projections to characterize how thaw-induced land cover change affects land-atmosphere interactions and climate. In the Taiga Plains ecozone, thaw-induced boreal forest loss currently transforms the composition and structure of the boreal zone in North America and is of equal importance for tree cover dynamics as wildfire disturbance. Forest loss modifies landatmosphere energy fluxes through changes in aerodynamic and ecophysiological land surface properties. On the one hand, increasing albedo decreases total turbulent energy fluxes (i.e., sensible (H) and latent heat (LE) flux), and on the other hand decreasing surface roughness and increasing wetness enhances LE at the expense of H. The resulting maximum summer air temperatures and humidity would be substantially colder (1-2 C) and wetter (2 mmol mol-1) in a hypothetical permafrost-free wetland landscape, as indicated by planetary boundary layer model simulations. In contrast to the regional biophysical climate cooling impact of thaw-induced land cover change, wetland expansion and related increases in landscape CH4 emissions induce a net global biogeochemical climate warming impact. At the current rate of wetland expansion in the southern Taiga Plains of 0.26 % yr-1, landscape CH4 emissions increase by 0.034 g CH4 m-2 yr-1. Typical rates of long-term net CO2 uptake in these landscapes are too small to neutralize the associated climate warming effect until the end of the 21st century. The rapidly thawing boreal forest-wetland landscape still acts as a net CO2 sink taking up 74 g CO2 m-2 yr-1. Wetland expansion does not affect landscape-level net CO2 uptake as changes in gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) are of similar magnitude. The negligible thaw-induced effects on net CO2 fluxes are contrasted by larger direct climate change impacts of warming air temperatures and reduced incoming shortwave radiation. For a high warming scenario (RCP8.5), increases in modeled ER outpace the increasing GPP significantly. For a moderate warming scenario (RCP4.5), ER and GPP increase are of similar magnitude. Thaw-induced land cover change in the Taiga Plains causes thus biophysical and biogeochemical climate impacts of opposite sign and at contrasting scales of impacts (regional vs. global). In an increasingly warmer climate, thawing permafrost alters how boreal landscapes interact with climate highlighting the need to incorporate thaw-induced land cover changes into global Earth system models.

La région boréale arctique (RBA) couvre une vaste étendue qui lui confère un rôle important dans le système climatique mondial, par ses échanges d'énergie et de matière avec l'atmosphère. La température de l'air dans la région boréale arctique a augmenté à des taux disproportionnés par rapport à la moyenne mondiale, entraînant des changements dans la composition et la structure de la végétation. La RBA comprend l'écotone de la forêt boréale et de la toundra (EFT), qui s'étend sur plus de 10,000 km à travers l'hémisphère nord. La structure et la composition de la végétation varient considérablement à travers l’EFT. Du sud au nord, les arbres deviennent plus courts, plus dispersés et finalement absents. Ce gradient entraîne des variations dans la balance énergétique de surface. Ainsi, des changements dans la composition et la structure de la végétation dans l’EFT pourraient influencer le climat régional futur de ces régions. Ces changements régionaux pourraient se répercuter sur le climat mondial en interagissant avec le cycle du carbone par des changements dans les régimes de perturbations et la profondeur de la couche limite atmosphérique. L'objectif de cette étude était de développer un état des lieux de la variation latitudinale des interactions entre la surface et l’atmosphère et du climat régional à travers l’EFT dans le nord-ouest du Canada. Nous avons utilisé des mesures de covariance des turbulences provenant d’une forêt subarctique en marge de l’EFT et d’une toundra minérale caractérisant l’EFT du nord-ouest du Canada afin de quantifier les différences journalière et saisonnières des échanges d'énergie. Quatre paramètres de surface (albédo, conductance aérodynamique, conductance de surface et facteur de découplage) ont été examinés dans le but d’expliquer les différences dans la balance énergétique de surface. Des observations par radiosonde basées sur des campagnes de terrain et une expérience de modélisation de la couche limite atmosphérique ont été réalisées afin de discuter des conséquences potentielles des changements de végétation sur la dynamique de la couche limite atmosphérique (hauteur, température, humidité) et ses implications pour le climat régional. La forêt subarctique a démontré une meilleure capacité à transférer la chaleur vers l’atmosphère et une plus grande résistance à l'évapotranspiration, se traduisant par des conditions atmosphériques plus chaudes et sèches, spécialement au printemps. En été et automne, une conductance de surface plus élevée sur le site de la toundra s’est traduite par à une plus grande proportion de l'énergie utilisée pour humidifier l'atmosphère, résultant en une couche atmosphérique moins épaisse et un refroidissement régional du climat. La caractérisation des interactions entre la surface et l’atmosphère à travers l’EFT contribuera à améliorer les prédictions des effets des changements de végétation en cours sur le climat régional dans la région boréale arctique. / Considering its vast extent, the Arctic-boreal region (ABR) plays an important role in the global climate system through its exchange of energy and matter with the atmosphere. Air temperature across the ABR has been increasing at a higher rate compared to the global average and has led to changes in vegetation composition and structure across the ABR. The ABR includes the forest-tundra ecotone (FTE), spanning more than 10,000 km across the northern hemisphere. As the world’s longest transition zone, the FTE separates the boreal and Arctic biomes over a width of only a few tens to hundreds of kilometers. Vegetation composition and structure varies considerably across the FTE as trees become, from south to north, shorter and more stunted, sparser, and eventually, absent. The associated latitudinal gradient in surface properties results in corresponding latitudinal variations in the energy balance. Thus, changes in the latitudinal variation in surface properties and energy exchanges within the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) may affect future regional climate across the FTE. The goal of this study was to develop a baseline understanding of the latitudinal variation in surface-atmosphere interactions and atmospheric boundary layer dynamics across the FTE in northwestern Canada. We used paired eddy covariance measurements of surface energy fluxes and supporting environmental measurements at a subarctic woodland (‘woodland’) and a mineral upland tundra site (‘tundra’) to quantify differences in daily and seasonal differences in woodland and tundra properties and energy exchanges. Four bulk surface parameters (albedo, aerodynamic conductance, surface conductance, and decoupling factor) were examined to explain drivers of those differences. Campaign-based radiosonde observations and numerical experiments using an ABL model were used to examine the impacts of a sparse tree cover on ABL dynamics (height, temperature, humidity) and their implications for surface climate compared to treeless tundra. The sparse tree cover at the woodland site showed an enhanced ability to transfer heat into the atmosphere and a higher resistance to evapotranspiration compared to tundra, leading to warmer and drier conditions especially in late winter and spring. In summer and fall, higher bulk surface conductance at the tundra site led to more energy being used to moisten the atmosphere, resulting in a shallower ABL and regional cooling of the atmosphere. Refined characterization of land surface-atmosphere interactions across the FTE will help to project the effect of ongoing vegetation changes on regional climate in the circumpolar Arctic-boreal region.

Les zones côtières ne sont prises en compte dans les budgets globaux de CO2 atmosphérique que depuis peu. Il s’avère que bien qu’elles ne représentent globalement que de faibles superficies, les flux de carbone et de nutriments y sont très significatifs à l’échelle globale. On sait peu de chose sur le comportement des écosystèmes lagunaires vis-à-vis du CO2 et, encore moins des zones intertidales où les échanges avec l’atmosphère ont lieu alternativement avec l’eau et le sédiment. Les objectifs de cette étude ont été d’une part, d’établir le bilan de carbone échangé entre la lagune d’Arcachon, l’atmosphère et le milieu terrestre, et d’autre part de mettre en relation ces flux avec la production nette de l’écosystème (NEP) afin de mieux caractériser le statut métabolique de celle-ci ainsi que les facteurs environnementaux clés. Pour cela, nous avons mis en place pour la première fois et à différentes saisons et stations, des mesures directes de flux de CO2 par Eddy Corrélation, une méthode fonctionnant en continu pendant l’immersion et l’émersion. En parallèle, les apports de carbone terrestre sous ses différentes formes ont été quantifiés par un suivi annuel sur 9 rivières alimentant la lagune. L’export total de carbone par le bassin versant à travers les eaux de surface des rivières est estimé à 116 t C km-2 an-1 dont 39% est exporté à la lagune sous forme organique dissoute (DOC) du fait de la prédominance de podzols dans le bassin versant. La forte minéralisation de la matière organique terrestre dans les sols et eaux souterraines sursature largement les eaux en CO2 et l’export sous forme de carbone inorganique dissoute (DIC) représente environ 21%. La formulation d’un modèle mathématique, le « StreamCO2-DEGAS », basé sur les mesures de pCO2, de concentrations et de compositions isotopiques en DIC a permis de montrer que 43% de l’export total de carbone était dégazé sous forme de CO2 depuis les rivières vers l’atmosphère, réduisant alors le flux net entrant dans la lagune à 66 t C km-2 an-1. Concernant la mesure de flux verticaux, l’analyse cospectrale ainsi que les résultats obtenus en adéquation avec les contrôles physiques et biologiques aux différentes échelles tidale, diurne et saisonnières, ont permis de valider la méthode de l’Eddy Covariance en zone intertidale. Sur l’ensemble de la période de mesures, les flux de CO2 étaient faibles, variant entre -13 et 19 µmol m-2 s-1. Des puits de CO2 atmosphérique à marée basse le jour ont été systématiquement observés. Au contraire, pendant l’immersion et à marée basse la nuit, des flux positifs ou négatifs ou proche de zéro ont été observés suivant la saison et la station étudiées. L’analyse concomitante des flux de CO2 et des images satellites du platier à marée basse le jour a clairement permis de discriminer l’importance relative des deux cycles métaboliques distincts des principaux producteurs primaires avec (1) les herbiers de Zostera noltii à cycle annuel long, dominant la NEP en été et en automne à la station la plus centrale et (2) les communautés microphytobenthiques, dominant la production primaire brute (PPB) au printemps à la même station et en automne au fond du bassin. Un recyclage rapide de cette production durant l’immersion et l’émersion a aussi clairement été mis évidence. Au vue des différents résultats, la technique d’Eddy Covariance utilisée en zone intertidale laisse envisager d’intéressantes perspectives en termes de connaissances sur les budgets de carbone et les processus écologiques et biogéochimiques dans la zone côtière. / The coastal zone is only taken into account since recently in global carbon budgeting efforts. Although covering globally modest surface areas, carbon and nutrient fluxes in the coastal zone appear significant at the global scale. However, little is known about the CO2 behaviour in lagoons and even less in intertidal zones where exchanges with the atmosphere occur alternatively with the water and the sediment. The purposes of this work are, on one hand, to establish the carbon budget between the Arcachon lagoon, the atmosphere and the terrestrial watershed and on the other hand, to link these fluxes with the net ecosystem production (NEP) and better characterize its metabolic status along with the relevant environmental factors. For the first time, CO2 flux measurements by Eddy Correlation have been carried out at different seasons and stations in the tidal flat. In parallel, the total terrestrial carbon export from river waters has been quantified throughout a complete hydrological cycle in nine watercourses flowing into the lagoon. The total carbon export from the watershed through surface river waters is estimated at 116 t C km-2 yr-1 on which 39% is exported to the lagoon as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) owing to the predominance of podzols in the watershed. Intense organic matter mineralization in soils and groundwaters largely over-saturate river waters in CO2 on which export accounts for 21% as dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). The mathematical “StreamCO2-DEGAS” model formulation based on water pCO2, DIC concentrations and isotopic composition measurements permits to show that 43% of the total carbon export was degassed as CO2 from the riverine surface waters to the atmosphere, lowering then this latter to 66 t C km-2 yr-1. With respect to the CO2 flux measurements in the lagoon, cospectral analysis and the well accordance of results with physical and biological controls at the tidal, diurnal and seasonal time scales permit to validate the Eddy Correlation technique over tidal coastal zone. CO2 fluxes with the atmosphere, during each period, were generally weak and ranged between -13 and 19 µmol m-2 s-1. Low tide and daytime conditions were always characterized by an uptake of atmospheric CO2. In contrast, during the immersion and during low tide at night, CO2 fluxes where either positive or negative, or close to zero, depending on the season and the site. The concomitant analysis of CO2 fluxes with satellite images of the lagoon at low tide during the day clearly discriminate the relative importance of the two distinct metabolic carbon cycling involving the main primary producers, i.e. (1) the Zostera noltii seagrass meadow predominance on the NEP in autumn and summer in the more central station, with an annual cycling and (2) the microphytobenthos community predominance on the gross primary production (GPP) in spring at the same station and in autumn in the inner part of the bay where a rapid carbon cycling during the immersion and the emersion was clearly highlighted. The different results obtained with the Eddy Correlation technique over tidal flats opens interesting perspectives on the knowledge of the carbon budget and the biogeochemical and ecological processes within the coastal zone.