Facilities: Reno
Atmosphere - Biosphere Interactions Laboratory (M. Potosnak)

The newly renovated Atmosphere-Biosphere Interactions Laboratory at the Desert Research Institute has extensive capabilities to measure leaf level and ecosystem fluxes of biogenic volatile organic compounds such as isoprene and monoterpenes. A portable gas chromatograph with an integrated preconcentration system, flame ionization detector and hydrogen generator allows for precise and reliable on-site field measurements without compressed gas cylinders. Combined with a Licor LI-6400 leaf gas exchange system, near real time results provide crucial feedback when conducting physiological measurements in the field.

This laboratory is supplemented by several other collaborating facilities at DRI. First, the faculty of the Frits Went Laboratory (led by Dr. Jay Arnone) has extensive experience with laboratory and field whole ecosystem gas flux enclosures. Second, the Organic Analysis Facility managed by Dr. Barbara Zielinska has the capability to analyze both solid absorbent and gas cylinder samples in addition to possessing extensive gas chromatograph expertise. Finally, the Advanced Computing in Environmental Sciences (ACES) facility allows for computationally intensive ecosystem and atmospheric chemistry models to be run on-site.