Regional Uptake and Release of Crop Carbon in the United States

Journal Article · Wed Aug 03 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Biogeosciences, 8(8):2037–2046

DOI:https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-2037-2011· OSTI ID:1021832

West, Tristram O; Bandaru, Varaprasad; Brandt, Craig C; Schuh, A E; Ogle, S M

Carbon fixed by agricultural crops in the US creates regional CO2 sinks where it is harvested and regional CO2 sources where it is released back to the atmosphere. The quantity and location of these fluxes differ depending on the annual supply and demand of crop commodities. Data on the harvest of crop biomass, storage, import and export, and on the use of biomass for food, feed, fiber, and fuel were compiled to estimate an annual crop carbon budget for 2000 to 2008. Net sources of CO2 associated with the consumption of crop commodities occurred in the Eastern Uplands, Southern Seaboard, and Fruitful Rim regions. Net sinks associated with the production of crop commodities occurred in the Heartland, Northern Crescent, Northern Great Plains, and Mississippi Portal regions. The national crop carbon budget was balanced to within 0.7 to 6.6% yr-1 during the period of this analysis.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1021832
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-76682
• Journal Information: Biogeosciences, 8(8):2037–2046, Journal Name: Biogeosciences, 8(8):2037–2046 Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
BIOMASS
CARBON
CROPS
FOOD
IMPORTS
PRODUCTION
STORAGE
SUPPLY AND DEMAND