co-ordinator: Mark Sutton
Deposition of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) is a major cause of ecosystem change in Europe, with the magnitude of fluxes being intimately linked to climate agricultural intensification, biomass productivity and plant community change. The current parametrizations are however still very uncertain, and resuire validation of the different model terms by both field and laboratory measurements. Bearing in mind the goals of TERI phase 2, and the links of seasonality to NH3 fluxes, the approach will be to focus on NH3 flux with meadow grassland ecosystems in an Atlantic-Continental transect.
The project will investigate the influence of European climatic gradients on net NH3 fluxes with grasslands considering the interactions with land management, using micrometeorological methods in relation to ecosystem finctioning. Measurements at composite experimental sites will contrast the deposition fluxes impacting seminatural grasslands with the emissions from intensively managed grasslands and their impacts on the atmosphere.
contact :
Marc Sutton
Institute of Terrestrial Ecology
Edinburgh Research Station
Penicuik
Midlothian EH26 0QB,
Scotland, UK
ms@ite.ac.uk
web site :
http://mwnta.nmw.ac.uk/ite/edin/graminae.html