Anthropogenic and Hydroclimatic Controls on the CO2 and CH4 Dynamics in Subtropical Monsoon Rivers

Abstract Anthropogenic perturbations have substantially altered riverine carbon cycling worldwide, exerting influences on dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) dynamics at multiple levels. However, the magnitude and role of anthropogenic activities in modulating carbon emissions across en...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shuai Chen, Lishan Ran, Clément Duvert, Boyi Liu, Yongli Zhou, Xiankun Yang, Qianqian Yang, Yuxin Li, Si‐Liang Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Water Resources Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR038341
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849687927273029632
author Shuai Chen
Lishan Ran
Clément Duvert
Boyi Liu
Yongli Zhou
Xiankun Yang
Qianqian Yang
Yuxin Li
Si‐Liang Li
author_facet Shuai Chen
Lishan Ran
Clément Duvert
Boyi Liu
Yongli Zhou
Xiankun Yang
Qianqian Yang
Yuxin Li
Si‐Liang Li
author_sort Shuai Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Anthropogenic perturbations have substantially altered riverine carbon cycling worldwide, exerting influences on dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) dynamics at multiple levels. However, the magnitude and role of anthropogenic activities in modulating carbon emissions across entire river networks, as well as the influence of climatic controls, remain largely unresolved. Here, we explore the controlling factors of riverine CO2 and CH4 dynamics across 62 subtropical, monsoon‐influenced streams and rivers through basin‐wide seasonal measurements. We found that land use and aquatic metabolism played significant roles in regulating the spatial and temporal patterns of both gases. Increased nutrient levels and organic matter contributed to higher partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and CH4 (pCH4). Dissolved oxygen, stable carbon isotope of dissolved inorganic carbon, the proportion of impervious surface, catchment slope, and river width were the major predictors for pCO2. For pCH4, the major predictors were Chlorophyll a and water temperature, which influence organic matter availability and methanogenesis. Seasonal variations in pCO2 and pCH4 were strongly modulated by hydroclimatic conditions, with temperature markedly regulating river ecosystem metabolism. These findings highlight the likelihood of significant changes in riverine carbon emissions as climate changes and land use patterns evolve, thereby profoundly affecting the global carbon cycle.
format Article
id doaj-art-11ec8d42490344ccb91379aecc40fe3a
institution DOAJ
issn 0043-1397
1944-7973
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Water Resources Research
spelling doaj-art-11ec8d42490344ccb91379aecc40fe3a2025-08-20T03:22:12ZengWileyWater Resources Research0043-13971944-79732025-01-01611n/an/a10.1029/2024WR038341Anthropogenic and Hydroclimatic Controls on the CO2 and CH4 Dynamics in Subtropical Monsoon RiversShuai Chen0Lishan Ran1Clément Duvert2Boyi Liu3Yongli Zhou4Xiankun Yang5Qianqian Yang6Yuxin Li7Si‐Liang Li8Department of Geography The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong ChinaDepartment of Geography The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong ChinaResearch Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin NT AustraliaDepartment of Geography The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong ChinaDepartment of Geography The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong ChinaSchool of Geography and Remote Sensing Guangzhou University Guangzhou ChinaDepartment of Geography The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong ChinaDepartment of Geography The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong ChinaInstitute of Surface‐Earth System Science School of Earth System Science Tianjin University Tianjin ChinaAbstract Anthropogenic perturbations have substantially altered riverine carbon cycling worldwide, exerting influences on dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) dynamics at multiple levels. However, the magnitude and role of anthropogenic activities in modulating carbon emissions across entire river networks, as well as the influence of climatic controls, remain largely unresolved. Here, we explore the controlling factors of riverine CO2 and CH4 dynamics across 62 subtropical, monsoon‐influenced streams and rivers through basin‐wide seasonal measurements. We found that land use and aquatic metabolism played significant roles in regulating the spatial and temporal patterns of both gases. Increased nutrient levels and organic matter contributed to higher partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and CH4 (pCH4). Dissolved oxygen, stable carbon isotope of dissolved inorganic carbon, the proportion of impervious surface, catchment slope, and river width were the major predictors for pCO2. For pCH4, the major predictors were Chlorophyll a and water temperature, which influence organic matter availability and methanogenesis. Seasonal variations in pCO2 and pCH4 were strongly modulated by hydroclimatic conditions, with temperature markedly regulating river ecosystem metabolism. These findings highlight the likelihood of significant changes in riverine carbon emissions as climate changes and land use patterns evolve, thereby profoundly affecting the global carbon cycle.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR038341greenhouse gasescarbon dynamicshydrologic conditionssubtropical riversland useaquatic metabolism
spellingShingle Shuai Chen
Lishan Ran
Clément Duvert
Boyi Liu
Yongli Zhou
Xiankun Yang
Qianqian Yang
Yuxin Li
Si‐Liang Li
Anthropogenic and Hydroclimatic Controls on the CO2 and CH4 Dynamics in Subtropical Monsoon Rivers
Water Resources Research
greenhouse gases
carbon dynamics
hydrologic conditions
subtropical rivers
land use
aquatic metabolism
title Anthropogenic and Hydroclimatic Controls on the CO2 and CH4 Dynamics in Subtropical Monsoon Rivers
title_full Anthropogenic and Hydroclimatic Controls on the CO2 and CH4 Dynamics in Subtropical Monsoon Rivers
title_fullStr Anthropogenic and Hydroclimatic Controls on the CO2 and CH4 Dynamics in Subtropical Monsoon Rivers
title_full_unstemmed Anthropogenic and Hydroclimatic Controls on the CO2 and CH4 Dynamics in Subtropical Monsoon Rivers
title_short Anthropogenic and Hydroclimatic Controls on the CO2 and CH4 Dynamics in Subtropical Monsoon Rivers
title_sort anthropogenic and hydroclimatic controls on the co2 and ch4 dynamics in subtropical monsoon rivers
topic greenhouse gases
carbon dynamics
hydrologic conditions
subtropical rivers
land use
aquatic metabolism
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR038341
work_keys_str_mv AT shuaichen anthropogenicandhydroclimaticcontrolsontheco2andch4dynamicsinsubtropicalmonsoonrivers
AT lishanran anthropogenicandhydroclimaticcontrolsontheco2andch4dynamicsinsubtropicalmonsoonrivers
AT clementduvert anthropogenicandhydroclimaticcontrolsontheco2andch4dynamicsinsubtropicalmonsoonrivers
AT boyiliu anthropogenicandhydroclimaticcontrolsontheco2andch4dynamicsinsubtropicalmonsoonrivers
AT yonglizhou anthropogenicandhydroclimaticcontrolsontheco2andch4dynamicsinsubtropicalmonsoonrivers
AT xiankunyang anthropogenicandhydroclimaticcontrolsontheco2andch4dynamicsinsubtropicalmonsoonrivers
AT qianqianyang anthropogenicandhydroclimaticcontrolsontheco2andch4dynamicsinsubtropicalmonsoonrivers
AT yuxinli anthropogenicandhydroclimaticcontrolsontheco2andch4dynamicsinsubtropicalmonsoonrivers
AT siliangli anthropogenicandhydroclimaticcontrolsontheco2andch4dynamicsinsubtropicalmonsoonrivers