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Simulating carbon fluxes in boreal catchments : WSFS-Vemala model development and key insights

Korppoo, Marie ; Huttunen, Inese ; Huttunen, Markus ; Narikka, Maiju ; Silander, Jari ; Jilbert, Tom ; Forsius, Martin ; Kortelainen, Pirkko ; Kotamäki, Niina and Uvo, Cintia LU orcid , et al. (2026) In Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 30(10). p.3095-3119
Abstract

Lakes and streams play an important role in the global carbon cycle through carbon sedimentation and evasion. The development of carbon processes in the water quality model WSFS-Vemala (Vemala) presents a significant advancement in simulating carbon dynamics, particularly in capturing both total organic (TOC) and inorganic (TIC) carbon processes and their contributions to carbon retention and emissions through a river/lake network. The model was tested in the Vantaanjoki catchment, located in southern Finland and covering an area of 1680 km2. The model's ability to simulate TOC and TIC loading across various land use and soil types aligns closely with reported literature values. The addition of organic acids to the total... (More)

Lakes and streams play an important role in the global carbon cycle through carbon sedimentation and evasion. The development of carbon processes in the water quality model WSFS-Vemala (Vemala) presents a significant advancement in simulating carbon dynamics, particularly in capturing both total organic (TOC) and inorganic (TIC) carbon processes and their contributions to carbon retention and emissions through a river/lake network. The model was tested in the Vantaanjoki catchment, located in southern Finland and covering an area of 1680 km2. The model's ability to simulate TOC and TIC loading across various land use and soil types aligns closely with reported literature values. The addition of organic acids to the total alkalinity definition improved pH simulations and thus the simulation of CO2 emissions in the acidic and organic rich waters of Finland. Annual CO2 emissions of 25 gC m−2 yr−1 were simulated from lake Tuusulanjärvi, the largest lake in the catchment, and 223–260 gC m−2 yr−1 from the river network, while only 3 gC m−2 yr−1 was simulated as organic carbon burial in the lake sediments. The model's performance in estimating CO2 emissions shows a good correlation with established ranges for lakes as well as a good correlation with TOC and TIC loads across the river network. The inclusion of sedimentation and mineralization processes in the lake carbon budget underlines the necessity of accounting for both organic and inorganic pathways in carbon modelling. This improved representation of the carbon cycling in Vemala, linked with the phytoplankton growth and nutrient cycling, allows to distinguish between carbon losses to the atmosphere and long-term carbon storage in the sediments of inland waters. Overall, the enhanced Vemala model provides a robust foundation for understanding carbon cycling and supporting sustainable, integrated water resource management and scenario assessments from sub-catchments to the national scale.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
volume
30
issue
10
pages
25 pages
publisher
European Geophysical Society
external identifiers
  • scopus:105039865991
ISSN
1027-5606
DOI
10.5194/hess-30-3095-2026
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6a9772a7-a0cd-403c-8c15-0c71b7c9e428
date added to LUP
2026-07-03 14:04:22
date last changed
2026-07-03 14:04:53
@article{6a9772a7-a0cd-403c-8c15-0c71b7c9e428,
  abstract     = {{<p>Lakes and streams play an important role in the global carbon cycle through carbon sedimentation and evasion. The development of carbon processes in the water quality model WSFS-Vemala (Vemala) presents a significant advancement in simulating carbon dynamics, particularly in capturing both total organic (TOC) and inorganic (TIC) carbon processes and their contributions to carbon retention and emissions through a river/lake network. The model was tested in the Vantaanjoki catchment, located in southern Finland and covering an area of 1680 km<sup>2</sup>. The model's ability to simulate TOC and TIC loading across various land use and soil types aligns closely with reported literature values. The addition of organic acids to the total alkalinity definition improved pH simulations and thus the simulation of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in the acidic and organic rich waters of Finland. Annual CO<sub>2</sub> emissions of 25 gC m<sup>−2</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> were simulated from lake Tuusulanjärvi, the largest lake in the catchment, and 223–260 gC m<sup>−2</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> from the river network, while only 3 gC m<sup>−2</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> was simulated as organic carbon burial in the lake sediments. The model's performance in estimating CO<sub>2</sub> emissions shows a good correlation with established ranges for lakes as well as a good correlation with TOC and TIC loads across the river network. The inclusion of sedimentation and mineralization processes in the lake carbon budget underlines the necessity of accounting for both organic and inorganic pathways in carbon modelling. This improved representation of the carbon cycling in Vemala, linked with the phytoplankton growth and nutrient cycling, allows to distinguish between carbon losses to the atmosphere and long-term carbon storage in the sediments of inland waters. Overall, the enhanced Vemala model provides a robust foundation for understanding carbon cycling and supporting sustainable, integrated water resource management and scenario assessments from sub-catchments to the national scale.</p>}},
  author       = {{Korppoo, Marie and Huttunen, Inese and Huttunen, Markus and Narikka, Maiju and Silander, Jari and Jilbert, Tom and Forsius, Martin and Kortelainen, Pirkko and Kotamäki, Niina and Uvo, Cintia and Ronkanen, Anna Kaisa}},
  issn         = {{1027-5606}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{3095--3119}},
  publisher    = {{European Geophysical Society}},
  series       = {{Hydrology and Earth System Sciences}},
  title        = {{Simulating carbon fluxes in boreal catchments : WSFS-Vemala model development and key insights}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-3095-2026}},
  doi          = {{10.5194/hess-30-3095-2026}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}