Eddy Covariance Tilt Corrections over a Coastal Mountain Area in South-east China:Significance for Near-Surface Turbulence Characteristics

Turbulence characteristics of an atmospheric surface layer over a coastal mountain area were investigated under different coordinate frames. Performances of three methods of coordinate rotation： double rotation （DR）, triple rotation （TR）, and classic planar-fit rotation （PF） were examined in terms of correction of eddy covariance flux. Using the commonly used DR and TR methods, unreasonable rotation angles are encountered at low wind speeds and cause significant run-to-run errors of some turbulence characteristics. The PF method rotates the coordinate system to an ensemble-averaged plane, and shows large tilt error due to an inaccurate fit plane over variable terrain slopes. In this paper, we propose another coordinate rotation scheme. The observational data were separated into two groups according to wind direction. The PF method was adapted to find an ensemble-averaged streamline plane for each group of hourly runs with wind speed exceeding 1.0 m s-1. Then, the coordinate systems were rotated to their respective best- fit planes for all available hourly observations. We call this the PF10 method. The implications of tilt corrections for the turbulence characteristics are discussed with a focus on integral turbulence characteristics, the spectra of wind-velocity components, and sensible heat and momentum fluxes under various atmospheric stabilities. Our results show that the adapted application of PF provides greatly improved estimates of integral turbulence characteristics in complex terrain and maintains data quality. The comparisons of the sensible heat fluxes for four coordinate rotation methods to fluxes before correction indicate that the PF10 scheme is the best to preserve consistency between fluxes.

Eddy covariance measurements of water vapor and energy flux over a lake in the Badain Jaran Desert,China

Exploring the surface energy exchange between atmosphere and water bodies is essential to gain a quantitative understanding of regional climate change, especially for the lakes in the desert. In this study, measurements of energy flux and water vapor were performed over a lake in the Badain Jaran Desert, China from March 2012 to March 2013. The studied lake had about a 2-month frozen period （December and January） and a 10-month open-water period （February-November）. Latent heat flux （LE） and sensible heat flux （Hs） acquired using the eddy covariance technique were argued by measurements of long＇wave and shortwave radiation. Both fluxes of longwave and shortwave radiation showed seasonal dynamics and daily fluctuations during the study period. The reflected solar radiation was much higher in winter than in other seasons. LE exhibited diurnal and seasonal variations. On a daily scale, LE was low in the morning and peaked in the afternoon. From spring （April） to winter （January）, the diurnal amplitude of LE decreased slowly. LE was the dominant heat flux throughout the year and consumed most of the energy from the lake. Generally speaking, LE was mostly affected by changes in the ambient wind speed, while Hs was primarily affected by the product of water-air temperature difference and wind speed. The diurnal LE and Hs were negatively correlated in the open-water period. The variations in Hs and LE over the lake were differed from those on the nearby land surface. The mean evaporation rate on the lake was about 4.0 mm/d over the entire year, and the cumulative annual evaporation rate was 1445 mm/a. The cumulative annual evaporation was 10 times larger than the cumulative annual precipitation. Furthermore, the average evaporation rates over the frozen period and open-water period were approximately 0.6 and 5.0 mm/d, respectively. These results can be used to analyze the water balance and quantify the source of lake water in the Badain Jaran Desert.

Sensitivity of Near Real-time MODIS Gross Primary Productivity in Terrestrial Forests Based on Eddy Covariance Measurements

As an important product of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS), MOD17A2 provides dramatic improvements in our ability to accurately and continuously monitor global terrestrial primary production, which is also significant in effort to advance scientific research and eco-environmental management. Over the past decades, forests have moderated climate change by sequestrating about one-quarter of the carbon emitted by human activities through fossil fuels burning and land use/land cover change. Thus, the carbon uptake by forests reduces the rate at which carbon accumulates in the atmosphere. However, the sensitivity of near real-time MODIS gross primary productivity(GPP) product is directly constrained by uncertainties in the modeling process, especially in complicated forest ecosystems. Although there have been plenty of studies to verify MODIS GPP with ground-based measurements using the eddy covariance(EC) technique, few have comprehensively validated the performance of MODIS estimates(Collection 5) across diverse forest types. Therefore, the present study examined the degree of correspondence between MODIS-derived GPP and EC-measured GPP at seasonal and interannual time scales for the main forest ecosystems, including evergreen broadleaf forest(EBF), evergreen needleleaf forest(ENF), deciduous broadleaf forest(DBF), and mixed forest(MF) relying on 16 flux towers with a total of 68 site-year datasets. Overall, site-specific evaluation of multi-year mean annual GPP estimates indicates that the current MOD17A2 product works highly effectively for MF and DBF, moderately effectively for ENF, and ineffectively for EBF. Except for tropical forest, MODIS estimates could capture the broad trends of GPP at 8-day time scale for all other sites surveyed. On the annual time scale, the best performance was observed in MF, followed by ENF, DBF, and EBF. Trend analyses also revealed the poor performance of MODIS GPP product in EBF and DBF. Thus, improvements in the sensitivity of MOD17A2 to forest productivity require continued efforts.

Applicability of an eddy covariance system based on a close-path quantum cascade laser spectrometer for measuring nitrous oxide fluxes from subtropical vegetable fields

The soil of subtropical vegetable fields is an important source of the atmospheric greenhouse gas nitrous oxide（N2O）. In a field study in subtropical China, the authors used an eddy covariance（EC）system based on a close-path quantum cascade laser（QCL） spectrometer to measure N2O fluxes from a vegetable field. During the experimental period from 9 October 2014 to 18 February 2015,the observed half-hourly N2O fluxes ranged from.10.7 to 1077.4 μg N m^-2h^-1, with a mean value of99.3 μg N m^-2h^-1. The detection limit（95% confidence level） of the EC system for half-hourly fluxes was estimated at 18.5 μg N m^-2h^-1, i.e. smaller than 97.5% of all measured fluxes, and within the range of the lower limit of reported N2O emissions from subtropical vegetable fields. The random uncertainties in the half-hourly fluxes were estimated at 60% on average, of which 62% was due to stochastic variations caused by turbulence and 38% by instrumental noise. The flux systematic uncertainties were estimated at.18% on average, mainly due to the spectral attenuation; however,this negative bias had already been corrected for by calculating half-hourly fluxes. In conclusion,the close-path QCL-based EC technique is capable of measuring the N2O fluxes from the subtropical vegetable fields of China with high reliability and accuracy.

A Re-examination of Density Effects in Eddy Covariance Measurements of CO_2 Fluxes

Corrections of density effects resulting from air-parcel expansion/compression are important in interpreting eddy covariance fluxes of water vapor and CO2 when open-path systems are used. To account for these effects, mean vertical velocity and perturbation of the density of dry air are two critical parameters in treating those physical processes responsible for density variations. Based on various underlying assumptions, different studies have obtained different formulas for the mean vertical velocity and perturbation of the density of dry air, leading to a number of approaches to correct density effects. In this study, we re-examine physical processes related to different assumptions that are made to formulate the density effects. Specifically, we re-examine the assumptions of a zero dry air flux and a zero moist air flux in the surface layer, used for treating density variations, and their implications for correcting density effects. It is found that physical processes in relation to the assumption of a zero dry air flux account for the influence of dry air expansion/compression on density variations. Meanwhile, physical processes in relation to the assumption of a zero moist air flux account for the influence of moist air expansion/compression on density variations. In this study, we also re-examine mixing ratio issues. Our results indicate that the assumption of a zero dry air flux favors the use of the mixing ratio relative to dry air, while the assumption of a zero moist air flux favors the use of the mixing ratio relative to the total moist air. Additionally, we compare different formula for the mean vertical velocity, generated by air-parcel expansion/compression, and for density effect corrections using eddy covariance data measured over three boreal ecosystems.

Multi-level CO_(2) fluxes over Beijing megacity with the eddy covariance method

Based on five years of eddy covariance measurements at multiple levels(47,140,and 280 m)of Beijing's 325-m meteorological tower,the exchange process of CO_(2) fluxes between the atmosphere and urban surface were investigated.As a result of the total vehicle control policy from 2011 in Beijing,the growth rate of annual total CO_(2) flux at 140 m is 7.8% from 2008-2010 but 2.3%from 2010-2012.With the minimum vegetation cover and largest population density,the 5-yr average annual total CO_(2) flux at 140 m is largest(6.41 kg C m^(−2) yr^(−1)),compared with that at 47 m(5.78 kg C m^(−2) yr^(−1))and 280 m(3.99 kg C m^(−2) yr^(−1)).With regards to annual total CO_(2) fluxes in Beijing,vehicle numbers and population are the main controlling factors.The measured CO_(2) fluxes were highly dependent on land cover/use in the prevailing wind direction.The CO_(2) fluxes at three layers all correlated positively with road fraction,with the R2 values being 0.69,0.57,and 0.54(P<0.05),respectively.The decreasing fraction of vegetation caused an increasing of the annual total CO_(2) flux,and there was an exponential relationship between them.The annual total CO_(2) fluxes were larger with higher population density.

Eddy covariance measurements of water vapor and CO_2 fluxes above the Erhai Lake

Measurement of turbulence fluxes were performed over the Erhai Lake using eddy covariance(EC) method.Basic physical parameters in the lake-air interaction processes,such as surface albedo of the lake,aerodynamic roughness length,bulk transfer coefficients,etc.,were investigated using the EC data in 2012.The characteristics of turbulence fluxes over the lake including momentum flux,sensible heat flux,latent heat flux,and CO2 flux,and their controlling factors were analyzed.The total annual evaporation of the lake was also estimated based on the artificial neural network(ANN) gap-filling technique.Results showed that the total annual evaporation in 2012 was 1165 ± 15 mm,which was larger than the annual precipitation(818 mm).Local circulation between the lake and the surrounding land was found to be significant throughout the year due to the land-lake breeze or the mountain-valley breeze in this area.The prevailing winds of southeasterly and northwesterly were observed throughout the year.The sensible heat flux over this plateau lake usually had a few tens of W m-2,and generally became negative in the afternoon,indicating that heat was transferred from the lake to the atmosphere.The sensible heat flux was governed by the lake-air temperature difference and had its maximum in the early morning.The diurnal variation of the latent heat flux was controlled by vapor pressure deficit with a peak in the afternoon.The latent heat flux was dominant in the partition of available energy in daytime over this lake.The lake acted as a weak CO2 source to the atmosphere except for the midday of summer.Seasonal variations of surface albedo over the lake were related to the solar elevation angle and opacity of the water.Furthermore,compared with the observation data,the surface albedo estimated by CLM4-LISSS model was underestimated in winter and overestimated in summer.

Spatial variation in annual actual evapotranspiration of terrestrial ecosystems in China: Results from eddy covariance measurements

Understanding the spatial variation in annual actual evapotranspiration （AET） and its influencing factors is crucial for a better understanding of hydrological processes and water resources management. By synthesizing ecosystem-level observations of eddy-covariance flux sites in China （a total of 61 sites）, we constructed the most complete AET dataset in China up to now. Based on this dataset, we quantified the statistic characteristics of AET and water budgets （defined as the ratio of AET to annual mean precipitation （MAP）, AET/MAP） of terrestrial ecosystems in China. Results showed that AET differed significantly among both different vegetation types and climate types in China, with overall mean AET of 534.7＋232.8 mm yr1. AET/MAP also differed significantly among different climate types, but there were no distinct differences in AET/MAP values across vegetation types, with mean AET/MAP of 0.82＋0.28 for non-irrigated ecosystems. We further investigated how the main climatic factors and vegetation attributes control the spatial variation in AET. Our findings revealed that the spatial variation of AET in China was closely correlated with the geographical patterns of climate and vegetation, in which the effects of total annual net radiation （Ro）, MAP and mean annual air temperature （MAT） were dominant. Thus, we proposed an empirical equation to describe the spatial patterns of AET in China, which could explain about 84% of the spatial variation in AET of terrestrial ecosystems in China. Based on the constructed dataset, we also evaluated the uncertainties of five published global evapotranspiration products in simulating site-specific AET in China. Results showed that large biases in site-specific AET values existed for all five global evapotranspiration products, which indicated that it is necessary to involve more observation data of China in their parameterization or validation, while our AET dataset would provide a data source for it.

Evaporation and CO_(2)fluxes in a coastal reef:an eddy covariance approach

Introduction:We conducted season-long observations of evaporation and carbon flux at the Gulf of Aqaba coast,northern Red Sea.We used the eddy-covariance method with a two-tower setup to measure evaporation rates over land and sea and the advection between them.Using a three-dimensional mass balance approach,we calculated total evaporation as the sum of two main components in our site:horizontal advection and turbulent vertical flux,with half-hourly change of water vapor storage and horizontal flux divergence found to be negligible.Outcomes:Average evaporation rates were 11.4[mm/day]from April through May(early summer)and 10.5[mm/day]from June through August(summer).The coastal reef was a CO_(2)sink over the period of measurements,significantly higher in June through August than in April through May.The main environmental drivers of CO_(2)flux were humidity,water temperature,sensible heat flux,and wind speed.Discussion:The rates of evaporation near the shore were considerably higher than values reported in other studies typically used to represent the mean for the whole Gulf area.We found that evaporation rates computed by common bulk models approximate the mean values of evaporation but have poor representativeness of the intra-daily temporal variation of evaporation.There was a significant correlation between CO_(2)flux and evaporation attributed to common environmental drivers of gas diffusion,turbulent fluxes,and horizontal transport.Conclusion:We conclude that observations of fluxes in coastal waters need to use at least a two-tower system to account for the effect of horizontal advection on the total flux.

Impact of Sky Conditions on Net Ecosystem Productivity over a “Floating Blanket” Wetland in Southwest China

Based on eddy covariance(EC) measurements during 2016–20, the effects of sky conditions on the net ecosystem productivity(NEP) over a subtropical “floating blanket ” wetland were investigated. Sky conditions were divided into overcast, cloudy, and sunny conditions. On the half-hourly timescale, the daytime NEP responded more rapidly to the changes in the total photosynthetic active radiation(PARt) under overcast and cloudy skies than that under sunny skies. The increase in the apparent quantum yield under overcast and cloudy conditions was the greatest in spring and the least in summer. Additionally, lower atmospheric vapor pressure deficit(VPD) and moderate air temperature were more conducive to enhancing the apparent quantum yield under cloudy skies. On the daily timescale, NEP and the gross primary production(GPP) were higher under cloudy or sunny conditions than those under overcast conditions across seasons. The daily NEP and GPP during the wet season peaked under cloudy skies. The daily ecosystem light use efficiency(LUE) and water use efficiency(WUE) during the wet season also changed with sky conditions and reached their maximum under overcast and cloudy skies, respectively. The diffuse photosynthetic active radiation(PAR_d) and air temperature were primarily responsible for the variation of daily NEP from half-hourly to monthly timescales, and the direct photosynthetic active radiation(PAR_b) had a secondary effect on NEP. Under sunny conditions, PAR_b and air temperature were the dominant factors controlling daily NEP. While daily NEP was mainly controlled by PAR_d under cloudy and overcast conditions.

Spatiotemporal Variability and Environmental Controls of Temperature Sensitivity of Ecosystem Respiration across the Tibetan Plateau

Warming-induced carbon loss via ecosystem respiration(R_(e))is probably intensifying in the alpine grassland ecosystem of the Tibetan Plateau owing to more accelerated warming and the higher temperature sensitivity of R_(e)(Q_(10)).However,little is known about the patterns and controlling factors of Q_(10)on the plateau,impeding the comprehension of the intensity of terrestrial carbon-climate feedbacks for these sensitive and vulnerable ecosystems.Here,we synthesized and analyzed multiyear observations from 14 sites to systematically compare the spatiotemporal variations of Q_(10)values in diverse climate zones and ecosystems,and further explore the relationships between Q_(10)and environmental factors.Moreover,structural equation modeling was utilized to identify the direct and indirect factors predicting Q_(10)values during the annual,growing,and non-growing seasons.The results indicated that the estimated Q_(10)values were strongly dependent on temperature,generally,with the average Q_(10)during different time periods increasing with air temperature and soil temperature at different measurement depths(5 cm,10 cm,20 cm).The Q_(10)values differentiated among ecosystems and climatic zones,with warming-induced Q_(10)declines being stronger in colder regions than elsewhere based on spatial patterns.NDVI was the most cardinal factor in predicting annual Q_(10)values,significantly and positively correlated with Q_(10).Soil temperature(Ts)was identified as the other powerful predictor for Q_(10),and the negative Q_(10)-Ts relationship demonstrates a larger terrestrial carbon loss potentiality in colder than in warmer regions in response to global warming.Note that the interpretations of the effect of soil moisture on Q_(10)were complicated,reflected in a significant positive relationship between Q_(10)and soil moisture during the growing season and a strong quadratic correlation between the two during the annual and non-growing season.These findings are conducive to improving our understanding of alpine grassland ecosystem carbon-climate feedbacks under warming climates.

Assessment of CH_(4) flux and its influencing drivers in the rice-wheat agroecosystem of the Huai River Basin,China

To understand the CH_(4) flux variations and their climatic drivers in the rice-wheat agroecosystem in the Huai River Basin of China,the CH_(4) flux was observed by using open-path eddy covariance at a typical rice-wheat rotation system in Anhui Province,China from November 2019 to October 2021.The variations and their drivers were then analyzed with the Akaike information criterion method.CH_(4) flux showed distinct diurnal variations with single peaks during 9:00-13:00 local time.The highest peak was 2.15μg m^(-2)s^(-1)which occurred at 11:00 in the vegetative growth stage in the rice growing season(RGS).CH_(4) flux also showed significant seasonal variations.The average CH_(4)flux in the vegetative growth stage in the RGS(193.8±74.2 mg m^(-2)d^(-1))was the highest among all growth stages.The annual total CH_(4) flux in the non-rice growing season(3.2 g m^(-2))was relatively small compared to that in the RGS(23.9 g m^(-2)).CH_(4) flux increased significantly with increase in air temperature,soil temperature,and soil water content in both the RGS and the non-RGS,while it decreased significantly with increase in vapor pressure deficit in the RGS.This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the CH_(4) flux and its drivers in the rice-wheat rotation agroecosystem in the Huai River Basin of China.In addition,our findings will be helpful for the validation and adjustment of the CH_(4) models in this region.

Carbon fluxes and their response to environmental variables in a Dahurian larch forest ecosystem in northeast China

The Dahurian larch forest in northeast China is important due to its vastness and location within a transitional zone from boreal to temperate and at the southern distribution edge of the vast Siberian larch forest. The continuous carbon fluxes were measured from May 2004 to April 2005 in the Dahurian larch forest in Northeast China using an eddy covariance method. The results showed that the ecosystem released carbon in the dormant season from mid-October 2004 to April 2005, while it assimilated CO2 from the atmosphere in the growing season from May to September 2004. The net carbon sequestration reached its peak of 112 g.m^-2.month ^-1 in June 2004 （simplified expression of g （carbon）.m^-2.month^-1） and then gradually decreased. Annually, the larch forest was a carbon sink that sequestered carbon of 146 g-m^-2.a^-1 （simplified expression of g （carbon）.m^-2.a^-1） during the measurements. The photosynthetic process of the larch forest ecosystem was largely affected by the vapor pressure deficit （VPD） and temperature. Under humid conditions （VPD 〈 1.0 kPa）, the gross ecosystem production （GEP） increased with increasing temperature. But the net ecosystem production （NEP） showed almost no change with increasing temperature because the increment of GEP was counterbalanced by that of the ecosystem respiration. Under a dry environment （VPD 〉 1.0 kPa）, the GEP decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 3.0 μmol.m^-2.s^-1kPa -1 and the ecosystem respiration was also enhanced simultaneously due to the increase of air temperature, which was linearly correlated with the VPD. As a result, the net ecosystem carbon sequestration rapidly decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 5.2 μmol.m^-2.s-1.kPa^-1. Under humid conditions （VPD 〈 1.0 kPa）, both the GEP and NEP were obviously restricted by the low air temperature but were insensitive to the high temperature because the observed high temperature value comes within the category of the optimum range.

Surface Turbulent Flux Measurements over the Loess Plateau for a Semi-Arid Climate Change Study

In order to provide high quality data for climate change studies, the data quality of turbulent flux measurements at the station of SACOL （Semi-Arid Climate ＆ Environment Observatory of Lanzhou University）, which is located on a semi-arid grassland over the Loess Plateau in China, has been analyzed in detail. The effects of different procedures of the flux corrections on CO2, momentum, and latent and sensible heat fluxes were assessed. The result showed that coordinate rotation has a great influence on the momentum flux but little on scalar fluxes. For coordinate rotation using the planar fit method, different regression planes should be determined for different wind direction sectors due to the heterogeneous nature of the ground surface. Sonic temperature correction decreased the sensible heat flux by about 9%, while WPL correction （correction for density fluctuations） increased the latent heat flux by about 10%. WPL correction is also particularly important for CO2 fluxes. Other procedures of flux corrections, such as the time delay correction and frequency response correction, do not significantly influence the turbulent fluxes. Furthermore, quality tests on stationarity and turbulence development conditions were discussed. Parameterizations of integral turbulent characteristics （ITC） were tested and a specific parameterization scheme was provided for SACOL. The ITC test on turbulence development conditions was suggested to be applied only for the vertical velocity. The combined results of the quality tests showed that about 62%-65% of the total data were of high quality for the latent heat flux and CO2 flux, and as much as about 76% for the sensible heat flux. For the momentum flux, however, only about 35% of the data were of high quality.

Three-year Variations of Water, Energy and CO_2 Fluxes of Cropland and Degraded Grassland Surfaces in a Semi-arid Area of Northeastern China

Based on 3 years （2003-05） of the eddy covariance （EC） observations on degraded grassland and cropland surfaces in a semi-arid area of Tongyu （44°25′N, 122°52′E, 184 m a.s.1.）, Northeast China, seasonal and annual variations of water, energy and CO2 fluxes have been investigated. The soil moisture in the thin soil layer （at 0.05, 0.10 and 0.20 m） clearly indicates the pronounced annual wet-dry cycle; the annual cycle is divided into the wet （growing season） and dry seasons （non-growing season）. During the growing season （from May to September）, the sensible and latent heat fluxes showed a linear dependence on the global solar radiation. However, in the non-growing season, the latent heat flux was always less than 50 W m^-2, while the available energy was dissipated as sensible, rather than latent heat flux. During the growing season in 2003-05, the daily average sensible and latent heat fluxes were larger on the cropland surface than on the degraded grassland surface. The cropland ecosystem absorbed more CO2 than the degraded grassland ecosystem in the growing season in 2003-05. The total evapotranspiration on the cropland was more than the total precipitation, while the total evapotranspiration on the degraded grassland was almost the same as the total annual precipitation in the growing season. The soil moisture had a good correlation with the rainfall in the growing season. Precipitation in the growing season is an important factor on the water and carbon budget in the semi-arid area.

Evapotranspiration and Its Energy Exchange in Alpine Meadow Ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

To understand the water and energy exchange on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we explored the characteristics of evapotranspiration （ET） and energy fluxes from 2002 to 2005 over a Kobresia meadow ecosystem using the eddy covariance method. The ratio of annual ET to precipitation （P） of meadow ecosystem was about 60%, but varied greatly with the change of season from summer to winter. The annual ET/P in meadow was lower than that in shrub, steppe and wetland ecosystems of this plateau. The incident solar radiation （Rs） received by the meadow was obviously higher than that of lowland in the same latitude; however the ratio of net radiation （Rn） to Rs with average annual value of 0.44 was significantly lower than that in the same latitude. The average annual ET was about 390 mm for 2002-2005, of which more than 80% occurred in growing season from May to September. The energy consumed on the ET was about 44% of net radiation in growing season, which was lower than that of shrub, steppe and wetland on this plateau. This study demonstrates that the Kobresia meadow may prevent the excessive water loss through evapotranspiration from the ecosystem into the atmosphere in comparison to the shrub, steppe and wetland ecosystems of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Seasonal and inter-annual variations in carbon fluxes and evapotranspiration over cotton field under drip irrigation with plastic mulch in an arid region of Northwest China

Xinjiang is the largest semi-arid and arid region in China, and drip irrigation under plastic mulch is widely used in this water-limited area. Quantifying carbon and water fluxes as well as investigating their environ- mental drivers over cotton fields is critical for understanding regional carbon and water budgets in Xinjiang, the largest cotton production basin of China. In this study, an eddy covariance （EC） technique was used to measure the carbon and water fluxes of cotton field under drip irrigation with plastic mulch in the growing seasons of 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 at Wulanwusu Agrometeorological Experiment Station, a representative oasis cropland in northern Xinjiang. The diurnal patterns of gross primary production （GPP）, net ecosystem exchange （NEE） and evapotran-spiration （ET） showed obviously sinusoidal variations from June to September, while the diurnal ecosystem respiration （Res） was stable between daytime and nighttime. The daytime hourly GPP and ET displayed asymptotic rela-tionships with net solar radiation （Rnet）, while showed concave patterns with raising vapor pressure deficit （VPD） and air temperature （Ta）. The increases in hourly GPP and ET towards the maximum occurred over half ranges of VPD and Ta. The seasonal variations of GPP, NEE and ET were close to the cotton phenology, which almost reached the peak value in July. The cumulative GPP averaged 816.2±55.0 g C/m^2 in the growing season （from April to October）, and more than half of GPP was partitioned into NEE （mean value of -478.6±41.4 g C/m^2）. The mean seasonal ET was 501.3±13.9 mm, and the mean water use efficiency （WUE） was 1.0＋0.1 （mg C/g H2O）/d. The agro-ecosystem behaved as a carbon sink from squaring to harvest period, while it acted as a carbon source before the squaring time as well as after the harvest time.

Turbulent Variance Characteristics of Temperature and Humidity over a Non-uniform Land Surface for an Agricultural Ecosystem in China

This paper describes the application of the variance method for flux estimation over a mixed agricultural region in China. Eddy covariance and flux variance measurements were conducted in a near-surface layer over a non-uniform land surface in the central plain of China from 7 June to 20 July 2002. During this period, the mean canopy height was about 0.50 m. The study site consisted of grass （10% of area）, beans （15%）, corn （15%） and rice （60%）. Under unstable conditions, the standard deviations of temperature and water vapor density （normalized by appropriate scaling parameters）, observed by a single instrument, followed the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. The similarity constants for heat （CT） and water vapor （Cq） were 1.09 and 1.49, respectively. In comparison with direct measurements using eddy covariance techniques, the flux variance method, on average, underestimated sensible heat flux by 21% and latent heat flux by 24%, which may be attributed to the fact that the observed slight deviations （20% or 30% at most） of the similarity ＂constants＂ may be within the expected range of variation of a single instrument from the generally-valid relations.

Effects of climate and forest age on the ecosystem carbon exchange of afforestation

Afforestation is believed to be an effective practice to reduce global warming by sequestering large amounts of carbon in plant biomass and soil.However,the factors that determine the rate of carbon sequestration with afforestation are still poorly understood.We analyzed ecosystem carbon exchange after afforestation based on eddy covariance measurements with the aim to identify factors responsible for the rate of carbon exchange following afforestation.The results indicated that afforestation in the tropical/subtropical and temperate climate zones had greater capacities for carbon sequestration than those in boreal zones.Net ecosystem production(NEP),gross primary production(GPP)and ecosystem respiration(RE)varied greatly with age groups over time.Specifically,NEP was initially less than zero in the\10 year group and then increased to its peak in the 10-20 year group.Afforestation of varied previous land use types and planting of diverse tree species did not result in different carbon fluxes.The general linear model showed that climate zone and age of afforestation were the dominant factors influencing carbon sequestration.These factors jointly controlled 51%,61%and 63%of the variation in NEP,GPP and RE,respectively.Compared to the strong regulation of climate on GPP and RE,NEP showed greater sensitivity to the age of afforestation.These results increase our understanding of the variation in ecosystem carbon exchange of afforestation and suggest that afforestation in subtropical and temperate areas after 20 years would yield greater carbon sink benefits than would afforestation of boreal regions.

Improvements of a Dynamic Global Vegetation Model and Simulations of Carbon and Water at an Upland-Oak Forest

The interest in the development and improvement of dynamic global vegetation models （DGVMs）, which have the potential to simulate fluxes of carbon, water and nitrogen, along with changes in the vegetation dynamics, within an integrated system, has been increasing. In this paper, some numerical schemes and a higher resolution soil texture dataset were employed to improve the Sheffield Dynamic Global Vegetation Model （SDGVM）. Using eddy covariance-based measurements, we then tested the standard version of the SDGVM and the modified version of the SDGVM. Detailed observations of daily carbon and water fluxes made at the upland oak forest on the Walker Branch Watershed in Tennessee, USA offered a unique opportunity for these comparisons. The results revealed that the modified version of the SDGVM did a reasonable job of simulating the carbon and water flux and the variation of soil water content （SWC）. However, at the end of the growing season, it failed to simulate the effect of the limitations on the soil respiration dynamics and as a result underestimated this respiration. It was also noted that the modified version overestimated the increase in the SWC following summer rainfall, which was attributed to an inadequate representation of the ground water and thermal cycle.