A national-scale data set for dissolved carbon and its spatial pattern in lakes and reservoirs across China

Zhidan Wen,Chong Fang,Ge Liu,Jia Du,Yingxin Shang,Lili Lyu,Kaishan Song

doi:10.1038/s41597-020-0419-5

Abstract

A dissolved carbon (DC) data set, including dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), from 224 lakes (513 stations) and 141 large reservoirs (337 stations) across China is presented in this study. In addition to DC, the data set also includes results for electrical conductivity (EC), total phosphorus (TP), chlorophyll-a and transparency. The impact of trophic status and EC gradient on DC concentration in water bodies are discussed. Results from our investigation indicate that DC in saline (EC > 1000 μS cm−1) water bodies (mean ± S.D, 297.13 ± 356.14 mg L−1, n = 186) are much higher than those in fresh water bodies (79.55 ± 199.34 mg L−1, n = 669). Similarly, eutrophic water bodies (n = 552) exhibited higher DC concentrations than mesotrophic (n = 215) and oligotrophic water bodies (n = 85); DC in lakes (158.445 ± 286.52 mg L−1, n = 513) was significantly higher than DC in reservoirs (37.83 ± 37.53 mg L−1, n = 337). All data used in this investigation is accessible online.

Highlights

Background & Summary inland water bodies occupy a small fraction of the earth’s surface, they play a major role in the global carbon (C) cycle[1]
The predominant terrestrial carbon input to most lakes and reservoirs is dissolved carbon (DC), followed by particulate carbon, and the proportion of inputs varies with lake location and hydrology[2]
Spatial DC measurements are useful for understanding carbon sources and cycling in aquatic systems, and it is dependent on an array of factors[2,5,6], e.g., catchment soil and landscape, hydrology, trophic status and anthropogenic discharge[6,7,8]

Summary

Introduction

Background & Summary inland water bodies occupy a small fraction of the earth’s surface, they play a major role in the global carbon (C) cycle[1]. The dominant form of aquatic carbon in some temperate regions, high northern latitudes and boreal forests in a carbonate terrain is dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC)[3,4]. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is the dominant form in humid tropical areas and in noncarbonate boreal forests[2]. Spatial DC measurements are useful for understanding carbon sources and cycling in aquatic systems, and it is dependent on an array of factors[2,5,6], e.g., catchment soil and landscape, hydrology, trophic status and anthropogenic discharge[6,7,8]. DC in aquatic systems mainly comes from decomposition of organic matter, i.e., plants in the catchment and algae and macrophytes within the water body, and the metabolic secretion of phytoplankton and microbes. Anthropogenic discharge provides a large volume of dissolved organic matter into lakes and reservoirs in these regions[10,11]

Objectives

Findings

Methods