Technical note: Skirt chamber – an open dynamic method for the rapid and minimally intrusive measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands

Abstract. We present a reliable and robust open dynamic chamber for measuring greenhouse gas exchange in peatlands with minimal disturbance of the ground. This chamber, called “skirt chamber”, is based on transparent plastic film placed above an frame made sparse interwoven wires expanded around base below steel chain that ensures contact to ground, avoiding damage, trenching, cutting vegetation. Gas determined using portable analyzer from mass balance which imperfect sealing ground quantified through injection methane pulse. The method was tested pristine peatland dominated by Sphagnum magellanicum located Navarino Island subantarctic Magellanic ecoregion Chile. Our results indicate skirt allowed determination fluxes ecosystem respiration about 20 min, limit detection 0.185 mg CH4 m−2 h−1 173 CO2 h−1, respectively. conclude minimally intrusive, fast, portable, inexpensive allows quantification emissions high spatial resolution remote locations without delay.