New Relationship in Carbon Cycle

Aleksei Naumov

Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia..

DOI: 10.4236/lce.2012.323015                

Abstract

The problem of carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere is closely related to the biological carbon cycle processes insufficiently studied from the global viewpoint. Based on data obtained from the literature on net primary production (NPP) and soil respiration (SR) of world ecosystems, a quantitative analysis of the relationship between these basic parameters of the production/destruction phase of the carbon cycle is offered in this paper. A direct correspondence (equality in carbon equivalent) is shown between the organic matter being generated (NPP) and the carbon dioxide release from soil into the air (SR). The established relationship is of fundamental nature because it shows a new aspect of the planet-scale mechanism.

Keywords

Biosphere; Biological Turnover; Carbon Balance; Dynamic Equilibration; Plant Productivity; Soil Respiration

1. Introduction

Global ecological problems related to changes in climate and environment, become a present-day reality. The global carbon cycle that joints the atmosphere, ocean and terrestrial ecosystems into an integrated whole has a paramount importance for biota and man. The cyclicality of exchange processes in biosphere results from activity of living organisms that populate our planet. The continuity of life implemented through reproduction and self-renewal, and the “pressure of living matter” in the environment both support a stable dynamic equilibrium of the global system.

The biological (biotical) cycle as a manifestation of the general regularity of interaction between living and inert matter in the limited space of biosphere is implemented through a multitude of chemical and biochemical reactions as well as physical and physicochemical processes. A special part in this aggregate is played by such processes as new organic matter generation by primary producers, synthesis of structural biomass and decomposition (destruction, mineralization) of organic matter down to primary components. However acute the problem seems to be, the mechanism of carbon cycle functioning is far from being sufficiently studied on the planet scale. A number of issues regarding sources and sinks, controlling factors, or dynamic characteristics of basic carbon flows still remains unclear. Additionally, debates about reason of the global warming and accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere last.

The anthropogenic factor-the growth of population and industrial production that results in the increasing burden on natural resources of biosphere-may well be a triggering mechanism for structural and functional changes on the global scale. In view of the urgency and actuality of the problem, the tasks of collecting and promptly processing data about conditions in which the atmosphere, ocean, land, and aquatic/terrestrial ecosystems exist in different parts of the world become those of primary importance [1]. The formation of open databases would allow the efficient use of the intellectual potential of different scientific associations and research groups.

2. Basic Analysis of Data

The net primary production and the annual (total) emission of СО₂ are basic indicators describing the rate of generation and decomposition of organic matter in the biosphere. So far, it is not enough fundamental knowledge in understanding the processes of the global carbon cycle, but simulation models associate with climatic parameter, reflect only importance of the feedbacks, but not terminated picture [2]. Therefore collection and processing primary experimental data, including statistical methods and modeling, is an important stage in decision of the global problem. Table 1 shows some available in scientific literature global annual estimations to net primary production and soil respiration.

The data spread is considerable to use them in censorious balancing calculation. Global net simulation models taking into account different feedbacks between vegetation, climatic and ecological factors, also give very broad range of the NPP values: 43 - 79 Pg C·yr^–1 [3-5]. The study of global carbon cycle is allied to difficulty of the reception of representative data sets. High-quality data sets based upon field observations of net primary productivity (NPP) are important to calibrate, parameterize, and evaluate terrestrial biosphere models [6]. Therefore, the collection and processing of primary experimental data including statistical methods and simulation would be an important step in solving a global problem.

The objective of our report is to show a quantitative relationship between the above indicators using accessible data sets in literature sources [12,20]. Special features and regularities of soil respiration function distribution in geographical space have been studied by the author earlier [21].

Figure 1 shows the distribution of net primary production and soil respiration relative to geographic latitude (based on data from the literature). The regularity found

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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