Hydro-ecological controls on riverine organic carbon dynamics in the tropical monsoon region

Abstract

Transport fluxes and properties of riverine organic carbon in the tropical monsoon region were the vital parameters in the global riverine organic carbon fluxes budget. The study focused on the riverine organic carbon in the Changhuajiang River (CHJR), locating at the mid-west of the Hainan Island, China. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in the CHJR ranged from 0.22 mg/L to 11.75 mg/L with an average of 1.75 mg/L, which was lower than the average of global rivers and had a significantly temporal and spatial variation. Output flux of riverine DOC was calculated as 0.55 t/km²/y, which could be revised up to 1.03 t/km²/y, considering that the riverine discharge before dam construction. A linear model of riverine DOC flux suitable in CHJR basin was established, which involved the factors, such as soil organic carbon, runoff depth and slope, etc. There was a large variation of POC concentrations in the CHJR where the average POC concentration in the dry season was 2.41 times of the wet season. Riverine POC flux in CHJR basin was calculated as 1.78 t/km²/y, higher than the average of global rivers and far lower than those in other domestic larger rivers. About 8.28 × 10³ t POC were exported yearly in CHJR, of which, 7.15 × 10³ t originated from terrestrial ecosystem and 1.13 × 10³ t stemmed from aquatic ecosystem. Meanwhile, about 87.74% of terrestrial source happened in the wet season and 12.26% in the dry season. This research revealed that the riverine organic carbon mainly stemmed from the surface erosion processes in the drainage basin during the wet season.