Consequences of gas flux model choice on the interpretation of metabolic balance across 15 lakes

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  • Hilary A. Dugan
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • R. Iestyn Woolway
    Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster
  • Arianto B. Santoso
    University of Waikato
  • Jessica R. Corman
    Arizona State University
  • Aline Jaimes
    University of Texas at El Paso
  • Emily R. Nodine
    Florida International University, Miami
  • Vijay P. Patil
    University of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Jacob A. Zwart
    University of Notre Dame, Indiana
  • Jennifer A. Brentrup
    University of Miami
  • Amy L. Hetherington
    Cornell University
  • Samantha K. Oliver
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Jordan S. Read
    U.S. Geological Survey
  • Kirsten M. Winters
    Oregon State University
  • Paul C. Hanson
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Emily K. Read
    Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York, USA
  • Luke A. Winslow
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Kathleen C. Weathers
    Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York, USA
Ecosystem metabolism and the contribution of carbon dioxide from lakes to the atmosphere can be estimated from free-water gas measurements through the use of mass balance models, which rely on a gas transfer coefficient (k) to model gas exchange with the atmosphere. Theoretical and empirically based models of k range in complexity from wind-driven power functions to complex surface renewal models; however, model choice is rarely considered in most studies of lake metabolism. This study used high-frequency data from 15 lakes provided by the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) to study how model choice of k influenced estimates of lake metabolism and gas exchange with the atmosphere. We tested 6 models of k on lakes chosen to span broad gradients in surface area and trophic states; a metabolism model was then fit to all 6 outputs of k data. We found that hourly values for k were substantially different between models and, at an annual scale, resulted in significantly different estimates of lake metabolism and gas exchange with the atmosphere.

Keywords

  • gas exchange, GLEON, lakes, lake models, metabolism, sensor network
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)581-592
JournalINLAND WATERS
Volume6
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Nov 2016
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