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Long‐term direct CO 2 flux measurements over a boreal lake: Five years of eddy covariance data
Author(s) -
Huotari Jussi,
Ojala Anne,
Peltomaa Elina,
Nordbo Annika,
Launiainen Samuli,
Pumpanen Jukka,
Rasilo Terhi,
Hari Pertti,
Vesala Timo
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2011gl048753
Subject(s) - eddy covariance , environmental science , atmosphere (unit) , flux (metallurgy) , carbon cycle , atmospheric sciences , ecosystem , boreal , terrestrial ecosystem , taiga , carbon sink , primary production , drainage basin , hydrology (agriculture) , ecology , meteorology , geology , geography , cartography , geotechnical engineering , materials science , metallurgy , biology
Significant amounts of terrestrial carbon are processed in lakes and emitted into the atmosphere as CO 2 . However, due to lack of appropriate measurements the absolute role of lakes in the landscape as sinks or sources of CO 2 is still uncertain. We conducted the first long‐term, ecosystem‐level CO 2 flux measurements with eddy covariance technique in a boreal lake within a natural‐state catchment covering 5 years. The aim was to reveal the natural level of CO 2 flux between a lake and the atmosphere and its role in regional carbon cycling. On average, the lake emitted ca 10% of the terrestrial net ecosystem production of the surrounding old‐growth forest and the main immediate drivers behind the fluxes were physical rather than biological. Our results suggest that lakes are an integral part of terrestrial carbon cycling.