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Ecosystem‐scale measurements of biomass water using cosmic ray neutrons
Author(s) -
Franz Trenton E.,
Zreda Marek,
Rosolem Rafael,
Hornbuckle Brian K.,
Irvin Samantha L.,
Adams Henry,
Kolb Thomas E.,
Zweck Chris,
Shuttleworth W. James
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/grl.50791
Subject(s) - biomass (ecology) , environmental science , ecosystem , neutron , scale (ratio) , atmospheric sciences , neutron probe , cosmic ray , physics , ecology , neutron temperature , nuclear physics , neutron cross section , quantum mechanics , biology
Accurate estimates of biomass are imperative for understanding the global carbon cycle. However, measurements of biomass and water in the biomass are difficult to obtain at a scale consistent with measurements of mass and energy transfer, ~1 km, leading to substantial uncertainty in dynamic global vegetation models. Here we use a novel cosmic ray neutron method to estimate a stoichiometric predictor of ecosystem‐scale biomass and biomass water equivalent over tens of hectares. We present two experimental studies, one in a ponderosa pine forest and the other in a maize field, where neutron‐derived estimates of biomass water equivalent are compared and found consistent with direct observations. Given the new hectometer scale of nondestructive observation and potential for continuous measurements, we anticipate this technique to be useful to many scientific disciplines.