Organic carbon burial in global lakes and reservoirs

Raquel Mendonça (), Roger A. Müller, David Clow, Charles Verpoorter, Peter Raymond, Lars J. Tranvik and Sebastian Sobek
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Raquel Mendonça: Uppsala University
Roger A. Müller: Uppsala University
David Clow: Colorado Water Science Center
Charles Verpoorter: Uppsala University
Peter Raymond: Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
Lars J. Tranvik: Uppsala University
Sebastian Sobek: Uppsala University

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Burial in sediments removes organic carbon (OC) from the short-term biosphere-atmosphere carbon (C) cycle, and therefore prevents greenhouse gas production in natural systems. Although OC burial in lakes and reservoirs is faster than in the ocean, the magnitude of inland water OC burial is not well constrained. Here we generate the first global-scale and regionally resolved estimate of modern OC burial in lakes and reservoirs, deriving from a comprehensive compilation of literature data. We coupled statistical models to inland water area inventories to estimate a yearly OC burial of 0.15 (range, 0.06–0.25) Pg C, of which ~40% is stored in reservoirs. Relatively higher OC burial rates are predicted for warm and dry regions. While we report lower burial than previously estimated, lake and reservoir OC burial corresponded to ~20% of their C emissions, making them an important C sink that is likely to increase with eutrophication and river damming.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01789-6

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