Mississippi Basin Carbon Project Science Plan

Field and process studies

Initial products will include open file reports summarizing (1) the field measurements and techniques used in MBCP research on upland soil processes; and (2) the objectives, basis for site selection, site descriptions, core descriptions, methods description and documentation , data tables, and references for all delta sites. We will also produce an abstract describing the development of soil incubation techniques using field CO₂ flux and carbon isotopes as tracers, and a fact sheet summarizing the interdivisional, interagency, and interorganizational activities of the MBCP in the southernmost part of the Mississippi Basin.

Subsequent products are somewhat conjectural, but we anticipate abstracts and/or reports on the following topics:

• Field data and analytical results from soil sampling in Mississippi and Iowa.
• Carbon export in suspended sediment from small agricultural and forested catchments.
• The development of soil organic matter fractionation techniques using soil incubation, field CO₂ flux, and carbon isotopes as tracer tests.
• Partitioning soil respiration between root and heterotrophic sources using carbon isotopic techniques.
• A contrast between soil carbon storage and flux in cultivated, loess-derived soils: climatic and edaphic controls.
• Modeling carbon storage and flux in eroding and depositional portions of the landscape: insights from field and analytical data
• Predicting future changes in soil carbon inventory using CENTURY-CERES(MAIZE)-WEPP models.
• Carbon accumulation history of Delta including data for sediment and sediment bound carbon.
• Pre- and post-settlement palynological/phytolith record of the Delta.
• Data files for all aspects of palynological/historical investigations for Delta core.
• Characterization of Delta sediment based on sequential leaching techniques and carbon fractionation.

A future fact sheet will summarize the interdivisional, interagency, and interorganizational activites of the MBCP in the northcentral part of the Mississippi Basin. Summary journal articles will be published to summarize and compare data from field studies in upland soil sites, Delta and lowland sites, and lakes and reservoirs.

	Anticipated products
	Land surface characterization and analysis
	Modeling