Vihermaa, L. E., Waldron, S. , Domingues, T., Grace, J., Cosio, E. G., Limonchi, F., Hopkinson, C., Ribeiro da Rocha, H. and Gloor, E. (2016) Fluvial carbon export from a lowland Amazonian rainforest in relation to atmospheric fluxes. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 121(12), pp. 3001-3018. (doi: 10.1002/2016JG003464)
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Abstract
We constructed a whole carbon budget for a catchment in the Western Amazon Basin, combining drainage water analyses with eddy covariance measured terrestrial CO2 fluxes. As fluvial C export can represent permanent C export it must be included in assessments of whole site C balance, but is rarely done. The footprint area of the flux tower is drained by two small streams (~5-7 km2) from which we measured the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), particulate organic carbon (POC) export and CO2 efflux. The EC measurements showed the site C balance to be +0.7 ± 9.7 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 (a source to the atmosphere) and fluvial export was 0.3 ± 0.04 Mg C ha-1 yr-1. Of the total fluvial loss 34% was DIC, 37% DOC and 29% POC. The wet season was most important for fluvial C export. There was a large uncertainty associated with the EC results and with previous biomass plot studies (-0.5 ± 4.1 Mg C ha-1 yr-1), hence it cannot be concluded with certainty whether the site is C sink or source. The fluvial export corresponds to only 3-7 % of the uncertainty related to the site C balance, thus other factors need to be considered to reduce the uncertainty and refine the estimated C balance. However, stream C export is significant, especially for almost neutral sites where fluvial loss may determine the direction of the site C balance. The fate of C downstream then dictates the overall climate impact of fluvial export.
| Item Type: | Articles |
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| Additional Information: | This work relates to the NERC funded Amazonica project (NE/F005040/1) - held by University of Edinburgh, ended 30 June 2014. |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Waldron, Professor Susan and Vihermaa, Dr Leena |
| Authors: | Vihermaa, L. E., Waldron, S., Domingues, T., Grace, J., Cosio, E. G., Limonchi, F., Hopkinson, C., Ribeiro da Rocha, H., and Gloor, E. |
| College/School: | College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences |
| Journal Name: | Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences |
| Publisher: | American Geophysical Union |
| ISSN: | 2169-8953 |
| ISSN (Online): | 2169-8961 |
| Published Online: | 27 October 2016 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2016 American Geophysical Union |
| First Published: | First published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 121(12):3001-3018 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy |
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