Automated soil CO2 exchange system

ADC BioScientific has introduced an automated soil CO2 exchange system (ACE).

Natural biomass respiration from the soil is a major carbon source. Understanding soil flux and its relationship with other sources and sinks within the carbon cycle are currently subject to increasing scientific scrutiny in relation to global climate change.

ACE is designed for the long-term, unattended monitoring of soil flux. The automated design of the station allows the area of soil being analysed to be exposed to ambient conditions between measurement cycles. Each station features an accurate infrared CO2 gas analyser housed directly inside the soil chamber assembly. This design ensures the fastest possible response times to CO2 changes, avoids potential gas 'hang ups' in long lengths of tubing and is power efficient as there is no requirement to pump gas from a soil chamber to a separate analyser.

Each ACE station is a complete, fully integrated soil flux system comprising the soil chamber and arm that pivots from the control panel.

The station is easy to set up and program in either an open or a closed mode configuration. Sensors for measuring PAR, soil moisture and soil temperature may also be connected to each station.

Up to 32 stations can be connected together in a network that can cover a 200 m diameter experimental area.