Observing and Simulating Spatial Variations of Forest Carbon Stocks in Complex Terrain

Smeglin, Yuting H.; Davis, Kenneth J.; Shi, Yuning; Eissenstat, David M.; Kaye, Jason P.; Kaye, Margot W.

doi:10.1029/2019jg005160

Observing and Simulating Spatial Variations of Forest Carbon Stocks in Complex Terrain

Journal Article · Thu Jan 02 23:00:00 EST 2020 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jg005160· OSTI ID:1802303

Smeglin, Yuting H. ^[1]; Davis, Kenneth J. ^[2]; Shi, Yuning ^[2]; Eissenstat, David M. ^[2]; Kaye, Jason P. ^[2]; Kaye, Margot W. ^[2]

Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); OSTI
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

The terrestrial carbon (C) cycle remains the least constrained component in the global C cycle, partly due to the difficulty of quantifying C sources and sinks in complex terrain. In this paper, we used observations at the Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory and a biogeochemistry model, Biome-BGC, to study the spatial distribution of C stocks and fluxes in a first-order watershed. The model simulated the average C pools and fluxes in the watershed after constraining three model parameters with observations. The model was able to generate the observed spatial patterns of C pools in the watershed, with higher biomass and soil C in the valley and lower values on the ridgetop, though the model underestimated the ridgetop to valley differences. We examined the simulated effect of four environmental factors, soil moisture, soil temperature, nitrogen (N) availability and solar radiation, on the spatial distribution of C pools. Among these factors, soil water and N availability coupled together dominate the spatial distribution of aboveground biomass. Soil water was the most important factor controlling soil C. These results are highly sensitive to van Genuchten parameters, which describe the soil water retention curve. This study highlights the importance of the hydrologic system in describing within-watershed structure in terrestrial C stocks.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0012003

OSTI ID:: 1802303

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1592204

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 125; ISSN 2169-8953

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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