Journal of Geographical Sciences >
Carbon sequestration potential and its eco-service function in the karst area, China
Author: Song Xianwei (1993-), Master, specialized in ecological hydrology. E-mail: sxwkerry@163.com
*Corresponding author: Gao Yang (1981-), Associate Professor, E-mail: gaoyang@igsnrr.ac.cn
Received date: 2016-12-14
Accepted date: 2017-01-18
Online published: 2017-08-31
Supported by
National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41571130043
Youth Innovation Promotion Association, CAS
Copyright
The karst critical zone is an essential component of the carbon (C) pool, constituting the global C cycle. It is referred to as one of the “residual land sink” that remains largely indeterminate. Karst area (2.2×107 km2) comprises 15% of the world’s land area, and karst area comprises 3.44×106 km2 of area in China. Due to the complexity of karst structure and its considerable heterogeneity, C sequestration rate estimations contain large inaccuracies, especially in relation to the different methods used in calculations. Therefore, we reevaluated rock weathering-related C sink estimations in China (approximately 4.74 Tg C yr-1), which we calibrated from previous studies. Additionally, we stipulated that more comprehensive research on rock-soil-biology-atmosphere continuum C migration is essential to better understand C conversion mechanisms based on uncertainty analyses of C sink estimations. Moreover, we stressed that a collective confirmation of chemical methods and simulated models through a combined research effort could at least partially eliminate such uncertainty. Furthermore, integrated C cycling research need a long-term observation of the carbon flux of multi-interfaces. The enhanced capacity of ecosystem C and soil C pools remains an effective way of increasing C sink. Karst ecosystem health and security is crucial to human social development, accordingly, it is critical that we understand thresholds or potential C sink capacities in karst critical zones now and in the future.
Key words: karst; karst critical zone; carbon sink; carbon sequestration rate; China
SONG Xianwei , GAO Yang , WEN Xuefa , GUO Dali , YU Guirui , HE Nianpeng , ZHANG Jinzhong . Carbon sequestration potential and its eco-service function in the karst area, China[J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2017 , 27(8) : 967 -980 . DOI: 10.1007/s11442-017-1415-3
Figure 1 Different erosion degrees of karst topography |
Figure 2 Karst structure controlled by soil erosion and rock weathering |
Figure 3 Regions divided of karst type in China |
Table 1 CO2 sink estimated result in each karst region, China |
Karst regions | Area (104 km2) | HCO- 3 (g L-1) | Runoff modulus (107 L km-2 yr-1) | Correction coefficient | CO2 sink (104 t yr-1) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Southern karst | 56.48 | 0.23 | 40.59 | 0.65 | 1241.5 |
Northern karst | 32.58 | 0.25 | 6.31 | 0.65 | 118.1 |
Tibetan Plateau karst | 55.60 | 0.15 | 19.95 | 0.65 | 377.0 |
Buried karst | 200.01 | 0.23 | 0.01 | 0.65 | 1.1 |
Total | 344.67 | 1737.6 |
Table 2 C sequestration rate of Chinese karst by using different methods |
Estimation method | Study area* | Average C sequestration/ (Tg C yr-1) | Global average C sequestration/ (Pg C yr-1) | Data source |
---|---|---|---|---|
Solute load method | Bare karst in China | 12 | — | Yan et al., 2011 |
Solute load method | Bare karst in China | 4.8 | — | Jiang and Yuan, 1999 |
Carbonate-rock-tablet test | Bare karst in China | 3.2 | — | Jiang and Yuan, 1999 |
DBL theory (potential C sink) | China | 64.2 | 0.41 | Liu and Zhao, 2000 |
Solute load method | China | 17.9 | 0.11 | Liu and Zhao, 2000 |
Carbonate-rock-tablet test | China | 17.5 | 0.11 | Liu and Zhao, 2000 |
Carbonate-rock-tablet test | China | 3.21 | — | Jiang et al., 2013 |
Solute load method | China | 4.84 | — | Jiang et al., 2013 |
Simple accumulate method (By province) | China | 5.07 | — | Jiang et al., 2013 |
GIS-based carbonate-rock- tablet test | China | 3.88 | — | Jiang et al., 2013 |
GEM-CO2 Model | China | 14.1 | — | Qiu et al., 2004 |
Solute load method | China | 10.09 | — | Li et al., 2014 |
Comprehensive method | — | — | 0.7052 | Liu et al., 2010 |
Solute load method | China | 4.74 | — | This research |
*Bare karst area in China is 0.907×106 km2; Total karst area in China is 3.44 ×106 km2 |
Figure 4 Carbon translation during pools of karst area |
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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