Inland aquatic ecosystems and the perturbed global-carbon cycle
Technical Report
·
OSTI ID:6153941
The role of inland aquatic ecosystems in the global carbon cycle is significant, although small compared to that of terrestrial systems and the oceans. Plants in inland waters fix about 0.5 x 10/sup 15/ gC yr/sup -1/ worldwide, compared to the 26 x 10/sup 15/ gC yr/sup -1/ fixed in the oceans. However, a larger fraction of the carbon fixed in inland aquatic ecosystems is preserved in organic form in sediments as a result of relatively shallow depths, low dissolved oxygen levels in bottom waters, high production rates per unit area, and high rates of total sedimentation in many inland waters. In addition, inland aquatic ecosystems receive inputs of organic carbon from terrestrial ecosystems. Estimates of the contribution of inland aquatic ecosystems to the budget of the perturbed global carbon cycle are summarized. It is concluded that rivers, lakes, and reservoirs may be responsible for recent increases in carbon accumulation in inland sediments and the ocean of about 0.6 x 10/sup 15/ to 0.8 x 10/sup 15/ gC yr/sup -1/, a small but not insignificant portion of the 0.5 to 4.5 x 10/sup 15/ g yr/sup -1/ of carbon missing in budget estimates of the perturbed global carbon cycle. However, the most important issue linking inland aquatic ecosystems and global carbon dynamics may be the impact of CO/sub 2/-induced regional changes in temperature and precipitation on the ecological character of inland aquatic systems, water quality and availability, and estuarine productivity.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76OR00033
- OSTI ID:
- 6153941
- Report Number(s):
- ORAU/IEA-81-7(M); ON: DE81028177
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
500100* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BUILDUP
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON CYCLE
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBON SINKS
CHALCOGENIDES
DISTRIBUTION
DISTURBANCES
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
LAKES
MASS TRANSFER
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
RIVERS
SEAS
SEDIMENTS
SINKS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WATER QUALITY
WATER RESERVOIRS
Atmospheric-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BUILDUP
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON CYCLE
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBON SINKS
CHALCOGENIDES
DISTRIBUTION
DISTURBANCES
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
LAKES
MASS TRANSFER
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
RIVERS
SEAS
SEDIMENTS
SINKS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WATER QUALITY
WATER RESERVOIRS