Current Research
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Greenhouse gas emissions in Australian streams
Tropical aquatic systems have been identified and potential hotspots for CO2 and CH4 emissions. Particularly in Australia, lack of direct observations of CO2 and CH4 have limited our ability to accurately quantify the contribution of these systems to global carbon budgets. By combining extensive field campaigns, data mining, and high frequency monitoring I am working to better understand what drive greenhouse gas emissions from stream across Australia and how much CO2 and CH4 is emitted from tropical streams in Australia. |
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Understanding sources and sinks of CO2 and CH4 in a tropical wetland stream
Key to estimating the contribution Australian streams have in the global carbon budget is understanding how streams receive, transform, transport, and emit carbon gasses. Using a key study site that is monitored heavily in both space and time, we hope to gain invites on these processes. In a small stream in Litchfield National Park, we are measuring CO2 and CH4 inputs from shallow riparian soils, upstream export, and overland flow. We also are measuring exports of these gases downstream and to the atmosphere. By using diel time series of dissolved oxygen, we are also quantifying internal metabolism. We hope that, collectively, this wide array of data will help us understand processes that drive concentrations and fluxes of CO2 and CH4.
Key to estimating the contribution Australian streams have in the global carbon budget is understanding how streams receive, transform, transport, and emit carbon gasses. Using a key study site that is monitored heavily in both space and time, we hope to gain invites on these processes. In a small stream in Litchfield National Park, we are measuring CO2 and CH4 inputs from shallow riparian soils, upstream export, and overland flow. We also are measuring exports of these gases downstream and to the atmosphere. By using diel time series of dissolved oxygen, we are also quantifying internal metabolism. We hope that, collectively, this wide array of data will help us understand processes that drive concentrations and fluxes of CO2 and CH4.
Conceptual diagram of nationwide GHG flux model.
Estimating greenhouse gas Emissions form tropical streams in Australia
By combining field observations of CO2 and CH4 with stream network models, we aim to model the total greenhouse gas emissions from streams in Australia. We sampled CO2 and CH4 at nearly 150 different locations across the tropics of Australia and aggregated additional observations from other published papers. Using these data, we upscaled GHG emissions to all streams across the continent. Key to this work is a surface area model which predicts surface area of streams across the year–this step is critical given that nearly 70% of streams in Australia are intermittent.
Selected works
Ulloa-Cedamanos, F., Rexroade, A. T., Li, Y., Hutley, L. B., Wong, W. W., Wallin, M. B., Canadell, J. G., Lintern, A., and Duvert, C.: OzRiCa: An Australian riverine carbon database of concentrations, gas fluxes and isotopes, Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-233, in review, 2025.
By combining field observations of CO2 and CH4 with stream network models, we aim to model the total greenhouse gas emissions from streams in Australia. We sampled CO2 and CH4 at nearly 150 different locations across the tropics of Australia and aggregated additional observations from other published papers. Using these data, we upscaled GHG emissions to all streams across the continent. Key to this work is a surface area model which predicts surface area of streams across the year–this step is critical given that nearly 70% of streams in Australia are intermittent.
Selected works
Ulloa-Cedamanos, F., Rexroade, A. T., Li, Y., Hutley, L. B., Wong, W. W., Wallin, M. B., Canadell, J. G., Lintern, A., and Duvert, C.: OzRiCa: An Australian riverine carbon database of concentrations, gas fluxes and isotopes, Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-233, in review, 2025.
