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Global Nitrogen Deposition Promotes Carbon Sink Formation in Terrestrial Ecosystems
Lei Li1,2,3,4, Mingyu Xie1,2,3,4, Nan Jia1,2,3,4
1Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, P. R. China.
Nitrogen deposition retains 36% of deposited nitrogen (N) in ecosystems, contributing significantly to the terrestrial carbon (C) sink. Understanding N retention is crucial for accurate global C sink estimations.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Biogeochemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Nitrogen (N) deposition enhances ecosystem productivity and terrestrial carbon (C) sequestration.
- Accurate quantification of deposited N fate is vital for estimating its contribution to the global C sink.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze N retention patterns (reduced N [NHx] and oxidized N [NOy]) in ecosystems.
- To evaluate the contribution of retained N to terrestrial C sinks using stoichiometric scaling.
Main Methods:
- Analysis and modeling of 829 observational data points.
- Evaluation of N retention rates for NHx and NOx.
- Assessment of N-induced C sinks via C:N stoichiometry.
Main Results:
- On average, 36% of deposited N is retained in terrestrial ecosystems (39.15 Tg N yr-1 globally).
- NHx and NOx retention rates were 25.02 and 14.13 Tg N yr-1, respectively.
- N-induced C sink estimated at 0.88 Pg C yr-1, representing 25.48% of the global terrestrial C sink.
Conclusions:
- Deposited N retention exhibits global distribution patterns and induces biome-specific C sinks.
- Incorporating pool-specific C:N stoichiometry is essential for accurate ecosystem-scale carbon sequestration modeling.
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