The climatic-induced net carbon sink by terrestrial biosphere over 1901–1995

Abstract

The spatial and temporal variability of land carbon flux over the past one hundred years was investigated based on an empirical model directly calculating soil respiration rate. Our model shows that during 1901–1995, about 44-89 PgC (equals to 0.5, 0.9 PgC/yr respectively) were absorbed by terrestrial biosphere. The simulated net ecosystem productivity (NEP) after the 1930s was close to the estimated value of “ missing C sink” from deconvolution analysis. Most of the total carbon sink happened during 1951–1985 with the estimated value of 33–50 PgC. Three major sinks were located in the tropics (10°S–10°N), Northern mid-latitudes (30°–60°N) and Southern subtropics (10°–40°S). During 1940s-mid-1970s, carbon sinks by terrestrial ecosystem increased with time, and decreased after the mid-1970s. These may be due to the changing of climate condition, as during the 1940s–1970s, temperature decreased and precipitation increased, while after the mid-1970s, an opposite climate situation occurred with evident increasing in temperature and decreasing in precipitation. Usually, warmer and dryer climate condition is not favor for carbon absorption by biosphere and even induces net carbon release from soil, while cooler and wetter condition may induce more carbon sink. Our model results show that the net carbon flux is particularly dependent on moisture / precipitation effect despite of temperature effect. The changing of climate in the past century may be a possible factor inducing increases in carbon sink in addition to CO2 and N fertilizer.