In order to assess grazing effects in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, three distinct salt marsh types were sampled: Baltic Sea salt marshes, North Sea mainland salt marshes and North Sea island salt marshes. Between 2022 and 2023, eight study sites were sampled, with transects laid out across the two management types (grazed and non-grazed), each management site at comparable successional stages. In each study site 6-10 plots were assessed. For the quantification of SOC content, soil bulk density and SOC δ13C signature, a single 30-cm soil core was taken from each plot. An Eijkelkamp peat sampler was used for taking soil cores. Dry soil bulk density was calculated from sample dry weight and volume. Prior to elemental and isotope analysis, macroscopic root residues were removed and soil samples were acidified.
In order to assess the differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks between contrasting geomorphological settings of salt marshes in Germany, three distinct salt marsh types were sampled: Baltic Sea salt marshes, North Sea mainland salt marshes and North Sea island salt marshes. 14 study sites were sampled between 2021 and 2022 covering gradients of different plant communities and management types. The sampled transects of the North Sea salt marshes spanned all three vegetation zones: pioneer zone, low marsh, and high marsh. In each of the 14 study sites, 8-12 plots were assessed. For the quantification of SOC content, soil bulk density and SOC δ13C signature, a single 1-m soil core was taken from each plot. An Eijkelkamp peat sampler was used for taking soil cores. Dry soil bulk density was calculated from sample dry weight and volume. Prior to elemental and isotope analysis, macroscopic root residues were removed and soil samples were acidified.
Objectives: Germany ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, 1992) and the Kyoto-Protocol (UNFCCC, 1997) under electing the articles 3.3 (LULUCF) and 3.4 (Forest Management) additionally. For these international climate reporting schemes not only improved estimates of carbon stock and carbon stock changes must be specified but also the estimation of their uncertainties. Therefore, methods are purposed in the Good Practice Guidance (GPG) for LULUCF (IPCC, 2003) and the Good Practice Guidance and Uncertainty Management in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC, 2000) to quantify GPG conform errors, like errors in definitions, in classifications, in models, measurement and sampling errors. Results: The aims of the project are:- to identify error sources in the GHG-monitoring in the forest sector according to the GPG- to estimate the relevance of different error sources- to develop and implement methods for error reduction and- to build an overall error budget for annual estimates of carbon stock and carbon stock changes in biomass as the basis for the national GHG inventory report in the sector 'LULUCF and Forestry'.