Direct observations of the effects of aerosol loading on net ecosystem CO 2 exchanges over different landscapes
Year: 2004
Type: article
Abstract: We present the first direct, multisite observations in support of the hypothesis that atmospheric aerosols affect the regional terrestrial carbon cycle. The daytime growing season (summer) CO 2 flux observations from six sites (forest, grasslands, and croplands) with collocated aerosol and surface radiation measurements were analyzed for high and low diffuse radiation; effect of cloud cover; and effect of high and low aerosol optical depths (AOD). Results indicate that, aerosols exert a significant impact on net CO 2 exchange, and their effect may be even more significant than that due to clouds. The response appears to be a general feature irrespective of the landscape and photosynthetic pathway. The CO 2 sink increased with aerosol loading for forest and crop lands, and decreased for grassland. The cause for the difference in response between vegetation types is hypothesized to be canopy architecture.
Source: Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2004gl020915
Institutions: North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Agricultural Research Service, NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research, Pennsylvania State University, Goddard Space Flight Center, Colorado State University, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Air Resources Laboratory, San Diego State University, University of California, Los Angeles
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDGs: Climate action, Life on land
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2095706983