Interannual and seasonal variations in energy and carbon exchanges over the larch forests on the permafrost in northeastern Mongolia

Abstract

The larch forests on the permafrost in northeastern Mongolia are located at the southern limit of the Siberian taiga forest, which is one of the key regions for evaluating climate change effects and responses of the forest to climate change. We conducted long-term monitoring of seasonal and interannual variations in hydrometeorological elements, energy, and carbon exchange in a larch forest (48°15′24′′N, 106°51′3′′E, altitude: 1338 m) in northeastern Mongolia from 2010 to 2012. The annual air temperature and precipitation ranged from −0.13 °C to −1.2 °C and from 230 mm to 317 mm. The permafrost was found at a depth of 3 m. The dominant component of the energy budget was the sensible heat flux (H) from October to May (H/available energy [Ra] = 0.46; latent heat flux [LE]/Ra = 0.15), while it was the LE from June to September (H/Ra = 0.28, LE/Ra = 0.52). The annual net ecosystem exchange (NEE), gross primary production (GPP), and ecosystem respiration (RE) were −131 to −257 gC m−2 y−1, 681–703 gC m−2 y−1, and 423–571 gC m−2 y−1, respectively. There was a remarkable response of LE and NEE to both vapor pressure deficit and surface soil water content.