Water level variation at a beaver pond significantly impacts net CO₂ uptake of a continental bog

Abstract

Abstract. The carbon (C) dynamics of northern peatlands are sensitive to hydrological changes owing to ecohydrological feedback. We quantified and evaluated the impact of water level variations in a beaver pond (BP) on the CO2 flux dynamics of an adjacent, raised Sphagnum – shrub-dominated bog in southern Canada. We applied the CoupModel to the Mer Bleue bog, where the hydrological, energy and CO2 fluxes have been measured continuously for over 20 years. The lateral flow from the bog to the BP was estimated by the hydraulic gradient between the peatland and the BP's water level and the vertical profile of peat hydraulic conductivity. The model outputs were compared with the measured hydrological components, CO2 flux and energy flux data (1998–2019). CoupModel was able to reproduce the measured data well. The simulation shows that variation in the BP water level (naturally occurring or due to management) influenced the bog net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE). Over 1998–2004, the BP water level was 0.75 to 1.0 m lower than during 2017–2019. Simulated net CO2 uptake was 55 g C m−2 yr−1 lower during 1998–2004 compared to 2017–2019 when there was no BP disturbance, which was similar to the differences in measured NEE between those periods. Peatland annual NEE was well correlated with water table depth within the bog, and NEE also shows a linear relation with the water level at the BP, with a slope of −120 g CO2-C m−2 yr−1 m−1. The current modelling predicts the bog may switch from CO2 sink to source when the BP water levels drop lower than ~ 1.7 m below the peat surface at the eddy covariance tower, 250 m from the BP. This study highlights the importance of natural and human disturbances to adjacent water bodies in regulating net CO2 uptake function of northern peatlands.

The Potential of Peatlands as Nature-Based Climate Solutions

“…Longer term studies are required to assess whether this management action will lead to GHG emission reductions. Finally, beaver activity in and around peatlands can maintain high water levels (Karran et al 2018) that result in greater annual net ecosystem CO2 uptake (He et al 2021) and effectively rewet previously drained peatlands (Minke et al 2020). Thus, while beaver dams are often cleared by land managers to alleviate flooding, maintenance of beaver populations and the resulting dams could be another NbS strategy to enhance peatland carbon uptake and storage.…”