title: The Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Dissolved Organic Carbon Exported from Three Chinese Rivers to the China Sea.
abstract: The lateral transport of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) plays an important role in linking the carbon cycles of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Neglecting the lateral flow of dissolved organic carbon can lead to an underestimation of the organic carbon budget of terrestrial ecosystems. It is thus necessary to integrate DOC concentrations and flux into carbon cycle models, particularly with regard to the development of models that are intended to directly link terrestrial and ocean carbon cycles. However, to achieve this goal, more accurate information is needed to better understand and predict DOC dynamics. In this study, we compiled an inclusive database of available data collected from the Yangtze River, Yellow River and Pearl River in China. The database is collected based on online literature survey and analysed by statistic method. Overall, our results revealed a positive correlation between DOC flux and discharge in all three rivers, whereas the DOC concentration was more strongly correlated with the regional net primary productivity (NPP). We estimated the total DOC flux exported by the three rivers into the China Sea to be approximately 2.73 Tg yr-1. Specifically, the annual flux of DOC from the Yangtze River, Yellow River and Pearl River was estimated to be 1.85 Tg yr-1, 0.06 Tg yr-1 and 0.82 Tg yr-1, respectively, and the average annual DOC concentrations were estimated to be 2.24 ± 0.53 mg L-1, 2.70 ± 0.38 mg L-1 and 1.51 ± 0.09 mg L-1, respectively. Seasonal variations in DOC concentrations are greatly influenced by the interaction between temperature and precipitation. NPP is significantly and positively related to the DOC concentration in the Yangtze River and the Pearl River. In addition, differences in climate and the productivity of the vegetation may influence both the flux and concentrations of DOC transported by the rivers and thus potentially affect estuarine geochemistry.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ecological Forecasting and Global Change, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Guohua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ecological Forecasting and Global Change, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.|Department of Biology Sciences, Institute of Environment Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, H3C 3P8, Canada.
authors.forename: Changhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ecological Forecasting and Global Change, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ecological Forecasting and Global Change, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.|Department of Biology Sciences, Institute of Environment Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, H3C 3P8, Canada.
authors.forename: Shengwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ecological Forecasting and Global Change, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Yanzheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing, 100101, China.|Institute of Metrological Administration and Strategic Planning, National Institute of Metrology, AQSIQ, Beijing, 100013, China.
authors.forename: Junyao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ecological Forecasting and Global Change, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Junjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Center for Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, 410004, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ecological Forecasting and Global Change, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Qiuan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D016208:Databases, Factual; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D011891:Rain; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon