Changes in CO2 Exchange and Influential Factors in an Apple Orchard Over Time

Greg Howard
8th September, 2024

Changes in CO2 Exchange and Influential Factors in an Apple Orchard Over Time

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers studied apple orchards in Liaoning, Northeast China, to understand carbon flux variations during the growing seasons of 2017 and 2018
  • The orchards acted as strong carbon sinks, absorbing more CO2 than they released from May to October
  • Higher net radiation, atmospheric temperature, vapor pressure deficit, and soil temperature were linked to increased CO2 uptake by the orchards
Apple orchards in Liaoning, one of the four major apple-producing areas in Bohai Bay, Northeast China, play a crucial role in regulating the carbon sink effect. However, there has been limited information on the variation in carbon flux and its influential factors in apple orchards in this region. To address this gap, researchers from Shenyang Agricultural University conducted a study to monitor CO2 flux data throughout the entire apple growth seasons from April to November in 2017 and 2018[1]. This study aimed to analyze the variations in net ecosystem exchange (NEE) at different time scales and its response to environmental factors. The energy balance ratio, which measures the balance between incoming and outgoing energy in an ecosystem, was calculated for the apple orchard. The results showed an energy balance ratio of 0.74 in 2017 and 1.38 in 2018. These values indicate how well the energy inputs and outputs are balanced in the orchard ecosystem. The NEE, which is the balance between the amount of CO2 absorbed by photosynthesis and the amount released by respiration, was generally positive in April and November and negative from May to October. This indicates that the apple orchard acted as a strong carbon sink throughout the growth season. Specifically, the daily average NEE ranged from -0.103 to 0.094 mg m-2 s-1 in 2017 and from -0.134 to 0.059 mg m-2 s-1 in 2018, with the lowest values observed in June and July. This means that during the peak growing months, the orchard absorbed more CO2 than it released. The study also found that NEE was negatively correlated with net radiation, atmospheric temperature, saturated vapor pressure deficit, and soil temperature. This means that higher levels of these environmental factors were associated with lower NEE values, indicating more CO2 uptake by the orchard. These findings align with previous studies conducted in other regions. For example, research on apple orchards in the Loess Plateau region showed that the NEE was negative (indicating a carbon sink) during the growing season from April to November[2]. Another study in the same region found that the annual NEE was higher in 2016 than in 2017, with the amount of orchard CO2 uptake significantly greater in 2016 during the carbon sink period[3]. These studies underscore the importance of temperature and precipitation in regulating NEE during the growth season. The current study by Shenyang Agricultural University expands on these findings by providing detailed insights into the carbon flux dynamics in the Liaoning region. By analyzing the variations in NEE and its response to environmental factors, this study contributes valuable information for predicting carbon flux in orchard ecosystems within the context of global climate change. In summary, the apple orchards in Liaoning act as a strong carbon sink during the growing season, with NEE values indicating significant CO2 uptake. The study highlights the importance of environmental factors such as net radiation, atmospheric temperature, saturated vapor pressure deficit, and soil temperature in influencing NEE. These findings provide a better understanding of the carbon dynamics in apple orchards and can help inform strategies for managing these ecosystems to enhance their carbon sequestration capacity.

AgricultureEnvironmentPlant Science

References

Main Study

1) Temporal changes in net ecosystem CO2 exchange and influential factors in an apple orchard in Northeast China.

Published 7th September, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-13059-2

Related Studies

2) [Characteristics of CO2 Flux in a Mature Apple (Malus demestica) Orchard Ecosystem on the Loess Plateau].

Journal: Huan jing ke xue= Huanjing kexue, Issue: Vol 39, Issue 5, May 2018

3) Seasonal variation of net ecosystem CO2 exchange and its influencing factors in an apple orchard in the Loess Plateau.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08526-5


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