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Precipitation as driver of carbon fluxes in 11 African ecosystems

Merbold, L. ; Ardö, Jonas LU orcid ; Arneth, Almut LU ; Scholes, R. J. ; Nouvellon, Y. ; de Grandcourt, A. ; Archibald, S. ; Bonnefond, J. M. ; Boulain, N. and Brueggemann, N. , et al. (2009) In Biogeosciences 6(6). p.1027-1041
Abstract
This study reports carbon and water fluxes between the land surface and atmosphere in eleven different ecosystems types in Sub-Saharan Africa, as measured using eddy covariance (EC) technology in the first two years of the CarboAfrica network operation. The ecosystems for which data were available ranged in mean annual rainfall from 320 mm (Sudan) to 1150 mm (Republic of Congo) and include a spectrum of vegetation types (or land cover) (open savannas, woodlands, croplands and grasslands). Given the shortness of the record, the EC data were analysed across the network rather than longitudinally at sites, in order to understand the driving factors for ecosystem respiration and carbon assimilation, and to reveal the different water use... (More)
This study reports carbon and water fluxes between the land surface and atmosphere in eleven different ecosystems types in Sub-Saharan Africa, as measured using eddy covariance (EC) technology in the first two years of the CarboAfrica network operation. The ecosystems for which data were available ranged in mean annual rainfall from 320 mm (Sudan) to 1150 mm (Republic of Congo) and include a spectrum of vegetation types (or land cover) (open savannas, woodlands, croplands and grasslands). Given the shortness of the record, the EC data were analysed across the network rather than longitudinally at sites, in order to understand the driving factors for ecosystem respiration and carbon assimilation, and to reveal the different water use strategies in these highly seasonal environments. Values for maximum net carbon assimilation rates (photosynthesis) ranged from -12.5 mu mol CO2 m(-2) s(-1) in a dry, open Millet cropland (C-4-plants) up to -48 mu mol CO2 m(-2) s(-1) for a tropical moist grassland. Maximum carbon assimilation rates were highly correlated with mean annual rainfall (r(2)=0.74). Maximum photosynthetic uptake rates (Fp(max)) were positively related to satellite-derived f(APAR). Ecosystem respiration was dependent on temperature at all sites, and was additionally dependent on soil water content at sites receiving less than 1000 mm of rain per year. All included ecosystems dominated by C-3-plants, showed a strong decrease in 30-min assimilation rates with increasing water vapour pressure deficit above 2.0 kPa. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Biogeosciences
volume
6
issue
6
pages
1027 - 1041
publisher
Copernicus GmbH
external identifiers
  • wos:000267543100006
  • scopus:69549143189
ISSN
1726-4189
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
eb6bedf0-a995-4106-b671-c346f190f985 (old id 1463439)
alternative location
http://researchspace.csir.co.za/dspace/bitstream/10204/3297/1/Merbold_2008.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:47:21
date last changed
2022-04-20 21:52:29
@article{eb6bedf0-a995-4106-b671-c346f190f985,
  abstract     = {{This study reports carbon and water fluxes between the land surface and atmosphere in eleven different ecosystems types in Sub-Saharan Africa, as measured using eddy covariance (EC) technology in the first two years of the CarboAfrica network operation. The ecosystems for which data were available ranged in mean annual rainfall from 320 mm (Sudan) to 1150 mm (Republic of Congo) and include a spectrum of vegetation types (or land cover) (open savannas, woodlands, croplands and grasslands). Given the shortness of the record, the EC data were analysed across the network rather than longitudinally at sites, in order to understand the driving factors for ecosystem respiration and carbon assimilation, and to reveal the different water use strategies in these highly seasonal environments. Values for maximum net carbon assimilation rates (photosynthesis) ranged from -12.5 mu mol CO2 m(-2) s(-1) in a dry, open Millet cropland (C-4-plants) up to -48 mu mol CO2 m(-2) s(-1) for a tropical moist grassland. Maximum carbon assimilation rates were highly correlated with mean annual rainfall (r(2)=0.74). Maximum photosynthetic uptake rates (Fp(max)) were positively related to satellite-derived f(APAR). Ecosystem respiration was dependent on temperature at all sites, and was additionally dependent on soil water content at sites receiving less than 1000 mm of rain per year. All included ecosystems dominated by C-3-plants, showed a strong decrease in 30-min assimilation rates with increasing water vapour pressure deficit above 2.0 kPa.}},
  author       = {{Merbold, L. and Ardö, Jonas and Arneth, Almut and Scholes, R. J. and Nouvellon, Y. and de Grandcourt, A. and Archibald, S. and Bonnefond, J. M. and Boulain, N. and Brueggemann, N. and Bruemmer, C. and Cappelaere, B. and Ceschia, E. and El-Khidir, H. A. M. and El-Tahir, B. A. and Falk, U. and Lloyd, J. and Kergoat, L. and Le Dantec, V. and Mougin, E. and Muchinda, M. and Mukelabai, M. M. and Ramier, D. and Roupsard, O. and Timouk, F. and Veenendaal, E. M. and Kutsch, W. L.}},
  issn         = {{1726-4189}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1027--1041}},
  publisher    = {{Copernicus GmbH}},
  series       = {{Biogeosciences}},
  title        = {{Precipitation as driver of carbon fluxes in 11 African ecosystems}},
  url          = {{http://researchspace.csir.co.za/dspace/bitstream/10204/3297/1/Merbold_2008.pdf}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}