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Title: Modeling exports of dissolved organic carbon from landscapes: a review of challenges and opportunities

Journal Article · · Environmental Research Letters
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5]
  1. Univ. of Maine, Orono, ME (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. Univ. of Maine, Orono, ME (United States)
  3. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
  4. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
  5. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Inland waters receive large quantities of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from soils and act as conduits for the lateral transport of this terrestrially derived carbon, ultimately storing, mineralizing, or delivering it to oceans. The lateral DOC flux plays a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, and numerous models have been developed to estimate the DOC export from different landscapes. We reviewed 34 published models and compared their characteristics to identify challenges in model applications and opportunities for future model development. We classified these models into three types: indicator-driven, hydrology-forced, and process-based DOC export simulation models. They differ mainly in their environmental inputs, simulation approaches for soil DOC production, leaching from soils to inland waters, and transit through inland waters. It is essential to consider landscape characteristics, climate conditions, available data, and research questions when selecting the most appropriate model. Given the substantial assumptions associated with these models, sufficient measurements are required to benchmark estimates. Accurate accounting of terrestrially derived DOC export to oceans requires incorporating the DOC produced in aquatic ecosystems and deposited with rainwater; otherwise, global export estimates may be overestimated by 40.7%. Additionally, improving the representation of mineralization and burial processes in inland waters allows for more accurate accounting of carbon sequestration through land ecosystems. When all the inland water processes are ignored or assuming DOC leaching is equivalent to DOC export, the loss of soil carbon through this lateral flux could be underestimated by 43.9%.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
2439843
Journal Information:
Environmental Research Letters, Journal Name: Environmental Research Letters Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 19; ISSN 1748-9326
Publisher:
IOP PublishingCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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