Response of net ecosystem CO 2 exchange to precipitation events in the Badain Jaran Desert

It is of great significance to study the effects of precipitation events on carbon exchange in the ecosystem for an accurate understanding of the carbon cycle. However, the response of net ecosystem CO exchange (NEE) in the desert to precipitation events is elusive. In this study, the NEE in respons...

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Published inEnvironmental science and pollution research international Vol. 29; no. 24; p. 36486
Main Authors Yang, Ping, Zhao, Liqiang, Liang, Xueran, Niu, Zhenmin, Zhao, Hang, Wang, Yuanyuan, Wang, Nai'ang
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Germany 01.05.2022
Subjects
Carbon - analysis
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Dioxide - analysis
Carbon Sequestration
China
Ecosystem
China
Precipitation events
Badain Jaran Desert
Net CO2 sink
Desert ecosystem
Net ecosystem CO2 exchange
Eddy covariance technique
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Summary:It is of great significance to study the effects of precipitation events on carbon exchange in the ecosystem for an accurate understanding of the carbon cycle. However, the response of net ecosystem CO exchange (NEE) in the desert to precipitation events is elusive. In this study, the NEE in response to precipitation events of varying intensities in the Badain Jaran Desert (BJD) in China was continuously monitored using the eddy covariance (EC) technique. The following results were obtained: (1) The BJD ecosystem was a net CO sink throughout the study period, with NEE values of -113.4, -130.7, and -175.4 g C m a in 2016, 2018, and 2019, respectively. The total precipitation yielded a higher carbon sequestration capacity in 2019 than in the other two years. In addition, the intensity, time, and frequency of precipitation had significant impacts on CO ; (2) the threshold value of the NEE response to precipitation was ~1.4 mm, indicating the extreme sensitivity of the BJD to precipitation events; (3) the variations in the NEE response to precipitation events conformed to a dual exponential model. The analytical results of the model indicate that precipitation intensity was positively correlated with the carbon sequestration capacity of the desert. The model revealed that the greater the precipitation intensity, the longer it takes the NEE to reach the maximum, and the lengthier the duration of the residual effects. With an increase in the total precipitation and frequency of extreme precipitation events under warm and humidification climates, the carbon sequestration capacity of the BJD will likely be enhanced. The results of this study are of great significance for revealing the carbon cycle mechanism of the desert ecosystem.
ISSN:1614-7499