Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Main Tributary of the Yangtze River, Eastern China

Yuqing Miao, Fanghu Sun, Weilin Hong, Fengman Fang, Jian Yu, Hao Luo, Chuansheng Wu, Guanglai Xu (), Yilin Sun and Henan Meng ()
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Yuqing Miao: School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
Fanghu Sun: School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
Weilin Hong: School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
Fengman Fang: School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
Jian Yu: School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
Hao Luo: School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
Chuansheng Wu: Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang 236037, China
Guanglai Xu: School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
Yilin Sun: School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
Henan Meng: Institute of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050000, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-16

Abstract: Rivers and streams are recognized as potential greenhouse gas (GHGs: CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O) sources, contributing to global warming. However, GHG emissions from rivers and streams have received insufficient attention compared to other ecosystems (forests, grasslands, wetlands, etc.). In this study, dissolved GHG concentrations were measured in the Qingyijiang River, the longest tributary in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, during two campaigns in September 2020 and April 2021. Our results showed that the Qingyijiang River was oversaturated with dissolved GHGs. The dissolved GHG concentration in the surface river water ranged from 8.70 to 67.38 μM CO 2 , 0.03 to 2.06 μM CH 4 , and 12.30 to 32.22 nM N 2 O. The average diffusive GHG emission rates were 31.89 ± 22.23 mmol CO 2 m −2 d −1 , 697.22 ± 939.82 μmol CH 4 m −2 d −1 , and 18.12 ± 7.73 μmol N 2 O m −2 d −1 . The total emissions (CO 2 -e) were CO 2 (58%) dominated, while CH 4 (38%) played a moderate role in total emissions. Temporally, average GHG concentrations and fluxes from the studied river in April were higher than those in September. The concentration and flux of CH 4 exhibited high spatial variability, similar to those in most rivers. In contrast, we found that there was no obvious spatial variability in CO 2 and N 2 O concentrations but a significant difference among reaches in N 2 O fluxes. We found that water temperature and flow velocity were the potential drivers for the regulating spatial variability in GHGs. However, no other observed limnological parameters were found in governing the spatial patterns of GHGs, suggesting a complex combination of factors governing GHG fluxes; thus, these inconspicuous mechanisms underscore the need for further research. Overall, our study suggests that this river acts as a minor source of GHGs relative to other rivers, and CH 4 cannot be ignored when considering aquatic carbon emissions.

Keywords: methane; carbon dioxide; nitrous oxide; Qingyijiang River; flow velocity; global warming potential (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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