Changing sink strengths influence translocation of phosphonate in avocado (Persea americana Mill.) trees

1995 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 1079 ◽  
Author(s):  
AW Whiley ◽  
PA Hargreaves ◽  
KG Pegg ◽  
VJ Doogan ◽  
LJ Ruddle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growing Season ◽  
Phloem Transport ◽  
Final Concentration ◽  
Persea Americana ◽  
Sink Strength ◽  
Tree Phenology ◽  
Trunk Injection ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Hass Avocado ◽  
Rate Of Accumulation

Translocation of phosphonic acid (H3PO3) in cv. Hass avocado trees was studied after trunk injection with 20% H3PO3, formulated as potassium phosphonate, at three stages of tree phenology during the growing season. Initially, translocation was solely acropetal in the xylem, and H3PO3was detected in the leaves 24 h after treatment. Several days after injection, H3PO3concentration in the bark of trunks and in roots increased, indicating basipetal phloem transport of H3PO3from leaves. The rate of accumulation and the final concentration of H3PO3in the roots were directly related to the sink strength of the shoot at the time of injection. For example, trunk injection at the beginning of spring growth flush, when renewal shoots were strong sinks, resulted in low H3PO3root concentrations (<9 8g gfw-1) which peaked about 45 days after treatment. When potassium phosphonate was injected after the transition of spring-grown shoots from sinks to sources, or at summer shoot maturity, root concentrations of H3PO3increased to >25 8g gfw-1 by 30 days after treatment. These results suggest that strategic timing of injections according to phenological events may greatly improve fungicide efficacy when targeting specific organs for protection.

scholarly journals Optimal Nutrient Concentration Ranges of ‘Hass’ Avocado Cauliflower Stage Inflorescences—Potential Diagnostic Tool to Optimize Tree Nutrient Status and Increase Yield

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 1707-1715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvatore Campisi-Pinto ◽  
Yusheng Zheng ◽  
Philippe E. Rolshausen ◽  
David E. Crowley ◽  
Ben Faber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Concentration ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Persea Americana ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Full Bloom ◽  
Nutrient Analysis ◽  
Tree Phenology ◽  
Hass Avocado

Optimizing ‘Hass’ avocado (Persea americana Mill.) tree nutrient status is essential for maximizing productivity. Leaf nutrient analysis is used to guide avocado fertilization to maintain tree nutrition. The goal of this research was to identify a ‘Hass’ avocado tissue with nutrient concentrations predictive of yields greater than 40 kg of fruit per tree. This threshold was specified to assist the California avocado industry to increase yields to ≈11,200 kg·ha−1. Nutrient concentrations of cauliflower stage inflorescences (CSI) collected in March proved better predictors of yield than inflorescences collected at full bloom (FBI) in April, fruit pedicels (FP) collected at five different stages of avocado tree phenology from the end of fruit set in June through April the following spring when mature fruit enter a second period of exponential growth, or 6-month-old spring flush leaves (LF) from nonbearing vegetative shoots collected in September (California avocado industry standard). For CSI tissue, concentrations of seven nutrients, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) were predictive of trees producing greater than 40 kg of fruit annually. Conditional quantile sampling and frequency analysis were used to identify optimum nutrient concentration ranges (ONCR) for each nutrient. Optimum ratios between nutrient concentrations and yields greater than 40 kg per tree were also derived. The high nutrient concentrations characterizing CSI tissue suggest current fertilization practices (timing or amounts) might be causing nutrient imbalances at this stage of avocado tree phenology that are limiting productivity, a possibility that warrants further investigation. Because CSI samples can be collected 4–6 weeks before full bloom, nutritional problems can be addressed before they affect flower retention and fruit set to increase current crop yield, fruit size, and quality. Thus, CSI nutrient analysis warrants further research as a potential supplemental or alternative tool for diagnosing ‘Hass’ avocado tree nutrient status and increasing yield.

Correction of zinc and boron deficiencies and control of phytophthora root rot of avocardo by trunk injection

1991 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 575 ◽  
Author(s):  
AW Whiley ◽  
KG Pegg ◽  
JB Saranah ◽  
PW Langdon
Keyword(s):  
Root Rot ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Zinc Nitrate ◽  
Threshold Concentration ◽  
Persea Americana ◽  
Critical Threshold ◽  
Phytophthora Root Rot ◽  
Zinc Concentrations ◽  
Trunk Injection ◽  
And Control

Phosphonate at 3 concentrations (7.5, 10 and 20%) was injected into the trunks of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) trees showing advanced symptoms of canopy decline caused by phytophthora root rot. All formulations of phosphonate and potassium phosphonate, including the lower rates of 7.5 and 10%, successfully controlled root rot and resulted in improved tree health. The 7.5% phosphonate treatment permitted the formulation of chemically compatible mixtures containing zinc and boron which, when trunk-injected, increased the concentrations of these nutrients in mature summer-grown leaves. Phosphonate formulations containing 17% zinc chelate or 10% zinc nitrate and injected twice during a growing season, at 15 mL/m canopy diameter, increased leaf zinc concentrations above the critical level of 30 mg/kg DM. However, the inclusion of zinc chelate in formulations substantially increased the time of uptake of the injection compared with the formulation containing zinc nitrate. Phosphonate formulations with 0.9% boron, injected twice during a growing season at 15 mL/m canopy diameter, improved leaf boron concentrations, but they failed to reach the critical threshold concentration of 50 mg/kg DM.

scholarly journals Zinc Fertilization of Avocado Trees

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Crowley ◽  
Woody Smith ◽  
Ben Faber ◽  
John A. Manthey
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Leaf Surface ◽  
Calcareous Soils ◽  
Leaf Tissue ◽  
Persea Americana ◽  
Zn Deficiency ◽  
Zinc Fertilization ◽  
Trunk Injection ◽  
Hass Avocado ◽  
Parenchyma Tissue

Methods for Zn fertilization of `Hass' avocado (Persea americana Mill.) trees were evaluated in a 2-year field experiment on a commercial orchard located on a calcareous soil (pH 7.8) in Ventura County, Calif. The fertilization methods included soil- or irrigation-applied ZnSO4; irrigation-applied Zn chelate (Zn-EDTA); trunk injection of Zn(NO3)2, and foliar applications of ZnSO4, ZnO, or Zn metalosate. Other experiments evaluated the influence of various surfactants on the Zn contents of leaves treated with foliar-applied materials and on the retention and translocation of radiolabeled 65ZnSO4 and 65Zn metalosate after application to the leaf surface. In the field experiment, tree responses to fertilization with soil-applied materials were affected significantly by their initial status, such that only trees having <50 μg·g–1 had significant increases in foliar Zn contents after fertilization. Among the three soil and irrigation treatments, ZnSO4 applied at 3.2 kg ZnSO4 per tree either as a quarterly irrigation or annually as a soil application was the most effective and increased leaf tissue Zn concentrations to 75 and 90 μg·g–1, respectively. Foliar-applied ZnSO4, ZnO, and Zn metalosate with Zn at 5.4, 0.8, and 0.9 g·liter–1, respectively, also resulted in increased leaf Zn concentrations. However, experiments with 65Zn applied to leaves of greenhouse seedlings showed that <1% of Zn applied as ZnSO4 or Zn metalosate was actually taken up by the leaf tissue and that there was little translocation of Zn into leaf parenchyma tissue adjacent to the application spots or into the leaves above or below the treated leaves. Given these problems with foliar Zn, fertilization using soil- or irrigation-applied ZnSO4 may provide the most reliable method for correction of Zn deficiency in avocado on calcareous soils.

scholarly journals Properly Timed Soil-applied Nitrogen Fertilizer Increases Yield and Fruit Size of `Hass' Avocado

2001 ◽  
Vol 126 (5) ◽  
pp. 555-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol J. Lovatt
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Size ◽  
Persea Americana ◽  
Double Dose ◽  
Cumulative Yield ◽  
Phenological Stages ◽  
N Application ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Tree Phenology ◽  
Hass Avocado ◽  
Applied Nitrogen

To protect groundwater from potential nitrate pollution, `Hass' avocado (Persea americana Mill.) growers in California divide the total annual soil-applied nitrogen (N) fertilizer (N at 56 to 168 kg·ha-1) into small applications made during the period from late January to early November. However, no research had been conducted to test the efficacy of this fertilization practice, and there was concern that the amount of N in the individual applications may be too little to meet the demand of the tree at some stages of its phenology. The research presented herein addressed the question of whether yield of `Hass' avocado could be increased by doubling the amount of N currently applied during specific stages of tree phenology. The control in this experiment was the practice of annually applying N as NH4NO3 at 168 kg·ha-1 (168 trees/ha) in six small doses of N at 28 kg·ha-1 in January, February, April, June, July, and November. From these six application times, five were selected on the basis of tree phenology and additional N as NH4NO3 at 28 kg·ha-1 was applied at each time for total annual N of 196 kg·ha-1. Two phenological stages were identified for which N application at 56 kg·ha-1 in a single application (double dose of N) significantly increased the 4-year cumulative yield (kilograms fruit per tree) 30% and 39%, respectively, compared to control trees (P ≤ 0.01). In each case, more than 70% of the net increase in yield was commercially valuable large size fruit (178 to 325 g/fruit). The two phenological stages were when shoot apical buds have four or more secondary axis inflorescence meristems present (mid-November); and during anthesis to early fruit set and initiation of the vegetative shoot flush at the apex of indeterminate floral shoots (about mid-April). When the double dose of N was applied at either of these two stages, the kilograms and number of large size fruit averaged across the 4 years of the study was significantly greater than the control trees (P ≤ 0.01). Averaged across the 4 years of the study, only the November treatment increased yield compared to the control trees (P ≤ 0.05). Application of the double dose of N at flower initiation (January), during early-stage gynoecium development (February), or during June drop had no significant effect on average or cumulative yield or fruit size compared to control trees. Application of the double dose of N in April significantly reduced the severity of alternate bearing (P ≤ 0.05). Yield was not significantly correlated with leaf N concentration. Time and rate of N application are factors that can be optimized to increase yield, fruit size, and annual cropping of `Hass' avocado. When the amounts of N applied were equal (196 kg·ha-1), time of application was the more important factor.

scholarly journals Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies for the ‘Hass’ Avocado that Increase Total Yield Without Reducing Fruit Size

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime E. Salvo ◽  
Carol J. Lovatt
Keyword(s):  
Shoot Growth ◽  
Important Determinant ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Persea Americana ◽  
Phenological Stages ◽  
Tree Phenology ◽  
Hass Avocado ◽  
N Demand

Effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application times and rates on ‘Hass’ avocado (Persea americana) yield and fruit size were determined to resolve whether a single dose of soil-applied N [1x N (25 lb/acre)] at each of the five key stages of tree phenology (January, April, July, August, and November) (control) was as efficacious as soil-applied 2x N (50 lb/acre) at one or two key stages or soil- or foliar-applied 3x N (75 lb/acre) at only one stage. All trees received soil-applied N at 125 lb/acre as ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) annually; trees receiving 2x or 3x N received the remaining N divided evenly at the same phenological stages (months) as trees receiving five 1x N applications. The importance of supplying N during the summer, when June drop, exponential fruit growth, vegetative shoot growth, and floral initiation occur, was determined by testing soil-applied 0.8x N in July plus August only (40 lb/acre N as NH4NO3 annually). Application time proved an important determinant of total yield. Yield of commercially valuable size (CVS) fruit was correlated with total yield (r = 0.80, P < 0.0001). Four-year cumulative total yields were equal for trees receiving soil-applied 1x N at five key phenological stages and trees receiving soil-applied 2x N in April and 18.75 lb/acre N at the four other stages (months). However, trees receiving soil-applied 2x N in April plus November and only 8.3 lb/acre N in the three other months, in particular July and August, had significantly lower 4-year cumulative total yields (P = 0.0362). Additional evidence of the importance of meeting avocado tree N demand in the summer is that trees receiving only 40 lb/acre N split in July plus August produced 4-year cumulative total yields equal to trees receiving 25 lb/acre N at the five key phenological stages; lower annual N would reduce fertilizer expense and protect the environment.

Red spruce seedling gas exchange in response to elevated CO2, water stress, and soil fertility treatments

1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 954-959 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.J. Samuelson ◽  
J.R. Seiler
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Gas Exchange ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Net Photosynthesis ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Fertility Treatment ◽  
Sink Strength ◽  
Growth Enhancement ◽  
Growing Seasons

The interactive influences of ambient (374 μL•L−1) or elevated (713 μL•L−1) CO2, low or high soil fertility, well-watered or water-stressed treatment, and rooting volume on gas exchange and growth were examined in red spruce (Picearubens Sarg.) grown from seed through two growing seasons. Leaf gas exchange throughout two growing seasons and growth after two growing seasons in response to elevated CO2 were independent of soil fertility and water-stress treatments, and rooting volume. During the first growing season, no reduction in leaf photosynthesis of seedlings grown in elevated CO2 compared with seedlings grown in ambient CO2 was observed when measured at the same CO2 concentration. During the second growing season, net photosynthesis was up to 21% lower for elevated CO2-grown seedlings than for ambient CO2-grown seedlings when measured at 358 μL•L−1. Thus, photosynthetic acclimation to growth in elevated CO2 occurred gradually and was not a function of root-sink strength or soil-fertility treatment. However, net photosynthesis of seedlings grown and measured at an elevated CO2 concentration was still over 2 times greater than the photosynthesis of seedlings grown and measured at an ambient CO2 concentration. Growth enhancement by CO2 was maintained, since seedlings grown in elevated CO2 were 40% larger in both size and weight after two growing seasons.

scholarly journals Ozone deposition into a boreal forest over a decade of observations: evaluating deposition partitioning and driving variables

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 12165-12182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ü. Rannik ◽  
N. Altimir ◽  
I. Mammarella ◽  
J. Bäck ◽  
J. Rinne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Water Vapour ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Total Ozone ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Sink Strength ◽  
Ozone Deposition ◽  
Air Space ◽  
Flux Measurements

Abstract. This study scrutinizes a decade-long series of ozone deposition measurements in a boreal forest in search for the signature and relevance of the different deposition processes. The canopy-level ozone flux measurements were analysed for deposition characteristics and partitioning into stomatal and non-stomatal fractions, with the main focus on growing season day-time data. Ten years of measurements enabled the analysis of ozone deposition variation at different time-scales, including daily to inter-annual variation as well as the dependence on environmental variables and concentration of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC-s). Stomatal deposition was estimated by using multi-layer canopy dispersion and optimal stomatal control modelling from simultaneous carbon dioxide and water vapour flux measurements, non-stomatal was inferred as residual. Also, utilising the big-leaf assumption stomatal conductance was inferred from water vapour fluxes for dry canopy conditions. The total ozone deposition was highest during the peak growing season (4 mm s−1) and lowest during winter dormancy (1 mm s−1). During the course of the growing season the fraction of the non-stomatal deposition of ozone was determined to vary from 26 to 44% during day time, increasing from the start of the season until the end of the growing season. By using multi-variate analysis it was determined that day-time total ozone deposition was mainly driven by photosynthetic capacity of the canopy, vapour pressure deficit (VPD), photosynthetically active radiation and monoterpene concentration. The multi-variate linear model explained the high portion of ozone deposition variance on daily average level (R2 = 0.79). The explanatory power of the multi-variate model for ozone non-stomatal deposition was much lower (R2 = 0.38). The set of common environmental variables and terpene concentrations used in multivariate analysis were able to predict the observed average seasonal variation in total and non-stomatal deposition but failed to explain the inter-annual differences, suggesting that some still unknown mechanisms might be involved in determining the inter-annual variability. Model calculation was performed to evaluate the potential sink strength of the chemical reactions of ozone with sesquiterpenes in the canopy air space, which revealed that sesquiterpenes in typical amounts at the site were unlikely to cause significant ozone loss in canopy air space. The results clearly showed the importance of several non-stomatal removal mechanisms. Unknown chemical compounds or processes correlating with monoterpene concentrations, including potentially reactions at the surfaces, contribute to non-stomatal sink term.

Note. Effect of Storage Temperature on the Shelf Life of Hass Avocado (Persea Americana)

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Perez ◽  
J. Mercado ◽  
H. Soto-Valdez
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Shelf Life ◽  
Respiration Rate ◽  
Ethylene Production ◽  
Storage Temperature ◽  
Persea Americana ◽  
Co2 Production ◽  
Hass Avocado ◽  
Storage Temperatures

The effect of storage temperature on the shelf life, weight loss, respiration rate and ethylene production of Hass avocado (Persea americana Mill) was studied. Two batches of green mature avocado fruits, classified as ‘‘super extra’’ were stored at 10 and 20 C (first batch) and at 7 and 25 C (second batch). The avocado shelf lives were 22, 8, 32 and 6 days at 10, 20, 7 and 25 C, respectively. Based on the data of the first assay Q10 was calculated as 2.75, with this value the predicted shelf life at 7 and 25 C were 29.8 and 4.8 days, respectively. That meant shelf life was underestimated 7 and 20% at 7 and 25 C, respectively. Weight loss was linear at both the storage temperatures, it was 4.3% in fruits at 20 C for 8 days and 3.0% at 10 C for 22 days. The maximum CO2 production at 20 C was reached during the second day of storage, while at 10 C it was reached at the 17th day (176.17 15.98 and 74.73 7.32 mL/kg h, respectively). The maximum ethylene production at 20 C was reached the second day of storage, and at 10 C the 6th day (239.06 54.55 and 28.00 8.12 mL/kg h, respectively).

scholarly journals Characterization and Pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriaceae Species Obtained from Avocado Trees with Branch Canker and Dieback and from Avocado Fruit with Stem End Rot in Chile

Plant Disease ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (5) ◽  
pp. 996-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana L. Valencia ◽  
Pilar M. Gil ◽  
Bernardo A. Latorre ◽  
I. Marlene Rosales
Keyword(s):  
Vascular System ◽  
Persea Americana ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Internal Transcribed Spacer Region ◽  
Avocado Fruit ◽  
Hass Avocado ◽  
Botryosphaeriaceae Species ◽  
Branch Canker

Several species of the Botryosphaeriaceae family have been associated with branch canker, dieback, and stem end rot in avocado (Persea americana Mill.). In Chile, the incidence of diseases affecting the avocado tree increased from 2011 to 2016, which coincided with a severe drought that affected avocado production. Moreover, distant countries importing avocados from Chile also reported an increase of stem end rot of ripe avocados. Therefore, the aims of this study were to identify the pathogen species associated with branch canker, dieback, and stem end rot of avocado in Chile and to study their pathogenicity. This study was conducted between 2015 and 2016 in ‘Hass’ avocado orchards located in the main avocado-producing regions in Chile. A diverse collection of fungal species was recovered from both necrotic woody tissue and necrotic tissue on harvested ripe fruit. On the basis of morphology and phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) gene, eight species in the Botryosphaeriaceae family were identified: Diplodia mutila, D. pseudoseriata, D. seriata, Dothiorella iberica, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Neofusicoccum australe, N. nonquaesitum, and N. parvum. For each of these species, pathogenicity studies were conducted on 1-year-old healthy Hass avocado plants. All isolates produced brown gum exudate and caused necrosis in the vascular system 3 weeks after inoculation. N. nonquaesitum, N. parvum, and D. pseudoseriata were the most virulent species. Necrotic lesions and cavities with white mycelia near the peduncle union were observed on Hass avocado fruit inoculated postharvest. L. theobromae, N. australe, and N. parvum were significantly more virulent than the other tested species in the Botryosphaeriaceae family. This study identified and characterized the pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriaceae species in Chile, which will prove useful to future research on these pathogens directed at establishing effective control strategies in avocado.

scholarly journals From sink to source: long-term (2002-2019) trends and anomalies in net ecosystem exchange of CO2 from a Scottish temperate peatland.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Hei-Laan Yeung ◽  
Carole Helfter ◽  
Neil Mullinger ◽  
Mhairi Coyle ◽  
Eiko Nemitz
Keyword(s):  
Water Table ◽  
Ecosystem Respiration ◽  
Net Ecosystem Exchange ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Water Table Depth ◽  
Sink Strength ◽  
Summer Drought ◽  
C Cycle ◽  
Dry Spell

&lt;p&gt;Peatlands North of 45&amp;#730; represent one of the largest terrestrial carbon (C) stores. They play an important role in the global C-cycle, and their ability to sequester carbon is controlled by multiple, often competing, factors including precipitation, temperature and phenology. Land-atmosphere exchange of carbon dioxide (CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;) is dynamic, and exhibits marked seasonal and inter-annual variations which can effect the overall carbon sink strength in both the short- and long-term.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Due to increased incidences of climate anomalies in recent years, long-term datasets are essential to disambiguate natural variability in Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) from shorter-term fluctuations. This is particularly important at high latitudes (&gt;45&amp;#730;N) where the majority of global peatlands are found. With increasing pressure from stressors such as climate and land-use change, it has been predicted that with a ca. 3&lt;sup&gt;o&lt;/sup&gt;C global temperature rise by 2100, UK peatlands could become a net source of C.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;NEE of CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; has been measured using the eddy-covariance (EC) method at Auchencorth Moss (55&amp;#176;47&amp;#8217;32 N, 3&amp;#176;14&amp;#8217;35 W, 267 m a.s.l.), a temperate, lowland, ombrotrophic peatland in central Scotland, continuously since 2002. Alongside EC data, we present a range of meteorological parameters measured at site including soil temperature, total solar and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), rainfall, and, since April 2007, half-hourly water table depth readings. The length of record and range of measurements make this dataset an important resource as one of the longest term records of CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; fluxes from a temperate peatland.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Although seasonal cycles of gross primary productivity (GPP) were highly variable between years, the site was a consistent CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; sink for the period 2002-2012. However, net annual losses of CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; have been recorded on several occasions since 2013. Whilst NEE tends to be positively correlated with the length of growing season, anomalies in winter weather also explain some of the variability in CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; sink strength the following summer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, water table depth (WTD) plays a crucial role, affecting both GPP and ecosystem respiration (R&lt;sub&gt;eco&lt;/sub&gt;). Relatively dry summers in recent years have contributed to shifting the balance between R&lt;sub&gt;eco&lt;/sub&gt; and GPP: prolonged periods of low WTD were typically accompanied by an increase in R&lt;sub&gt;eco&lt;/sub&gt;, and a decrease in GPP, hence weakening the overall CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; sink strength. Extreme events such as drought periods and cold winter temperatures can have significant and complex effects on NEE, particularly when such meteorological anomalies co-occur. For example, a positive annual NEE occurred in 2003 when Europe experienced heatwave and summer drought. More recently, an unusually long spell of snow lasting until the end of March delayed the onset of the 2018 growing season by up to 1.5 months compared to previous years. This was followed by a prolonged dry spell in summer 2018, which weakened GPP, increased R&lt;sub&gt;eco&lt;/sub&gt; and led to a net annual loss of 47.4 ton CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-C km&lt;sup&gt;-2&lt;/sup&gt;. It is clear that the role of Northern peatlands within the carbon cycle is being modified, driven by changes in climate at both local and global scales.&lt;/p&gt;

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