Canadian Tundra Carbon Exchange Project
Principal Investigator: Lafleur, Peter M (19)
Licence Number: 13960
Organization: Dept of Geography, Trent University
Licensed Year(s): 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2007 2005 2004
Issued: Apr 18, 2006
Project Team: Dr. Greg Henry, Dr. Paul Grogan, Dr. Elyn Humphreys

Project Description: The research being carried out at Daring Lake, NWT involves researchers being on-site for extended periods of time, monitoring automatic instruments and making manual measurements. Carbon dioxide exchange measurements made at the ecosystem level will be done with equipment installed on a small tower and located a few meters over the tundra surface. The tower equipment will also measure various meteorological signals and soil temperature and moisture. Carbon dioxide will be measured at the plot and the leaf scale by a portable carbon dioxide analyzer. Some vegetation sampling is required for these measurements in order to monitor leaf nutrients and carbon contents. Small samples of soil will be collected for chemical analysis. Plastic covered greenhouses will be used to examine the effect of climate change (warming and drying) on the vegetation and the carbon fluxes. Measurement sites will be within 4km of the Daring Lake station. Research began in May 2004 and most measurements ended in September with some instruments left in place to measure winter conditions. In 2005 the measurements were repeated, and two new meteorological towers were installed. These will examine two additional tundra ecosystems which differ from the ecosystem surrounding the existing tower. Papers resulting from research will be forwarded to the communities, and any interested groups. The study will be conducted at Daring Lake (64.83 N 111.63 W) from May 1 to November 1, 2006.