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Modeling the carbon dynamics of the dryland ecosystems in Xinjiang, China from 1981 to 2007—The spatiotemporal patterns and climate controls

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  • Li, Chaofan
  • Zhang, Chi
  • Luo, Geping
  • Chen, Xi

Abstract

Dryland ecosystems are particularly sensitive to environmental stresses. Despite their importance to the global carbon (C) cycle, responses of the Central Asian dryland to the rapid climate change in recent decades are still unclear. Using AEM, a newly developed, spatially explicit process model for dryland ecosystems, a case study was conducted in Xinjiang, a 1.66Mkm2 dryland in eastern Central Asia. The goal was to assess the impacts of environmental changes (climate change and elevated CO2) on the regional C dynamics from 1981 to 2007. The results indicated that over the last three decades, Xinjiang acted as a C sink of 138Tg (1T=1012), 78.5% of which was contributed by increased vegetation C. The C dynamic overall was dominated by the CO2 fertilization effect, which resulted in 124Tg C sequestration from 1981 to 2007. Temporal pattern of C dynamic was controlled by the climate change, which resulted in 10Tg C sequestration. The model simulation also indicated that the ecosystem's response to the combined effect by CO2 and climate change together was nonlinear. Among climate factors, temperature change resulted in 12Tg C loss, while precipitation change resulted in 24Tg C sequestration. The rising temperature stimulated heterotrophic respiration, causing 17Tg C loss from the soil. The climate change had complex effects on the regional C dynamics. It caused a 13Tg C loss in southern Xinjiang, while resulting in a 23Tg C sequestration in the north. The region acted as a C source in the 1980s, mainly due to the drought from 1983 to 1986, but has turned into a C sink since 1990. Unlike other dryland plant types, the irrigated crop and the phreatophytic shrub were barely affected by changes in precipitation. The ecosystem complexity in the dryland highlights the importance of addressing environmental heterogeneity with high resolution datasets and considering the characteristic ecophysiology of dryland plants with process-based modeling in climate change studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Chaofan & Zhang, Chi & Luo, Geping & Chen, Xi, 2013. "Modeling the carbon dynamics of the dryland ecosystems in Xinjiang, China from 1981 to 2007—The spatiotemporal patterns and climate controls," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 267(C), pages 148-157.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:267:y:2013:i:c:p:148-157
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.06.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zhang, Chi & Li, Chaofan & Luo, Geping & Chen, Xi, 2013. "Modeling plant structure and its impacts on carbon and water cycles of the Central Asian arid ecosystem in the context of climate change," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 267(C), pages 158-179.
    2. Shilong Piao & Jingyun Fang & Philippe Ciais & Philippe Peylin & Yao Huang & Stephen Sitch & Tao Wang, 2009. "The carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems in China," Nature, Nature, vol. 458(7241), pages 1009-1013, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ping Liu & Xi Chen & Chi Zhang & Geping Luo & Ping Liu & Xi Chen & Chi Zhang & Geping Luo & Xi Chen & Chi Zhang & Geping Luo, 2019. "Remote Sensing Monitoring Shows that Climate Change has a Significant Impact on Vegetation Ecosystem in Central Asia," International Journal of Environmental Sciences & Natural Resources, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 17(3), pages 81-87, February.
    2. Xiuliang Yuan & Jie Bai, 2018. "Future Projected Changes in Local Evapotranspiration Coupled with Temperature and Precipitation Variation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Chaofan Li & Qifei Han & Geping Luo & Chengyi Zhao & Shoubo Li & Yuangang Wang & Dongsheng Yu, 2018. "Effects of Cropland Conversion and Climate Change on Agrosystem Carbon Balance of China’s Dryland: A Typical Watershed Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Zhu, Shihua & Fang, Xia & Cao, Liangzhong & Hang, Xin & Xie, Xiaoping & Sun, Liangxiao & Li, Yachun, 2023. "Multivariate drives and their interactive effects on the ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration over Central Asia ecosystems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 478(C).
    5. Haoyang Du & Chen Zhou & Haoqing Tang & Xiaolong Jin & Dengshuai Chen & Penghui Jiang & Manchun Li, 2021. "Simulation and estimation of future precipitation changes in arid regions: a case study of Xinjiang, Northwest China," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 1-21, August.
    6. Peng Cai & Chaofan Li & Geping Luo & Chi Zhang & Friday Uchenna Ochege & Steven Caluwaerts & Lesley De Cruz & Rozemien De Troch & Sara Top & Piet Termonia & Philippe De Maeyer, 2020. "The Responses of the Ecosystems in the Tianshan North Slope under Multiple Representative Concentration Pathway Scenarios in the Middle of the 21st Century," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, January.
    7. Fang, Xia & Chen, Zhi & Guo, Xulin & Zhu, Shihua & Liu, Tong & Li, Chaofan & He, Biao, 2019. "Impacts and uncertainties of climate/CO2 change on net primary productivity in Xinjiang, China (2000–2014): A modelling approach," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 408(C), pages 1-1.

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