Modeling Riverine Dissolved and Particulate Organic Carbon Fluxes from Two Small Watersheds in the Northeastern United States
The coupled carbon (C) cycle across terrestrial and aquatic environments at the watershed scale has been identified as an important, but poorly constrained component of the global carbon budget. Here, we extended Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) with coupled riverine particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) modules (referred to as SWAT-C hereafter). Results show that SWAT-C reproduced daily POC and DOC fluxes well in two watersheds in the Northeastern United States. We found that SWAT-C tended to underestimate high flows and peak DOC and POC fluxes. Uncertainty analysis indicated flux uncertainties associated with POC and DOC simulation were larger than those for flow simulation. Sensitive parameters controlling POC and DOC biogeochemical processes were identified along with how these parameters influence mechanisms underlying C cycling. We anticipate that the tool developed and applied here will inform C related ecosystem services in watershed assessment and planning.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1615749
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-150561
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Modelling & Software, Vol. 124
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Modeling sediment diagenesis processes on riverbed to better quantify aquatic carbon fluxes and stocks in a small watershed of the Mid-Atlantic region
Fire reduces riverine DOC concentration draining a watershed and alters post-fire DOC recovery patterns