Diurnal Variations of Below‐Canopy CO2 Concentration in a Subtropical Forested Valley

Abstract CO2 concentration was continuously measured at four levels in the below‐canopy layer of a subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest in Southeast China. The below‐canopy CO2 concentration was higher during the day than at night at all levels, in contrast to many previous studies. The amplitude...

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Main Authors: Shizuo Fu, Yang Wang, Guofang Miao, Rong Wang, Hongda Zeng, Bai Yang, Jing M. Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2025-02-01
Series:Earth and Space Science
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EA003864
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author Shizuo Fu
Yang Wang
Guofang Miao
Rong Wang
Hongda Zeng
Bai Yang
Jing M. Chen
author_facet Shizuo Fu
Yang Wang
Guofang Miao
Rong Wang
Hongda Zeng
Bai Yang
Jing M. Chen
author_sort Shizuo Fu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract CO2 concentration was continuously measured at four levels in the below‐canopy layer of a subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest in Southeast China. The below‐canopy CO2 concentration was higher during the day than at night at all levels, in contrast to many previous studies. The amplitude of the diurnal variation of the below‐canopy CO2 concentration was controlled by the daily‐mean air or soil temperature. In the daytime, solar radiation heated the canopy layer more than the below‐canopy layer, so the below‐canopy layer became stable. Large vertical gradients of CO2 concentration therefore developed near the ground surface. CO2 concentration increased with stability when the stability was weak, because the increased stability suppressed the vertical turbulent mixing. On the contrary, CO2 concentration decreased with stability when the stability was strong, because the strong stability was maintained by intense solar radiation, which enhanced photosynthesis. In the nighttime, radiative cooling of the canopy layer caused the below‐canopy layer to be near‐neutral or unstable. CO2 concentration was therefore generally low and exhibited rather small vertical gradients. Nighttime CO2 concentration slightly increased when the stability became stronger. It was frequently observed that CO2 concentration rapidly decreased around the sunset from the peak value to a low value. Our results suggest that the storage term is important in the daytime eddy‐covariance measurements, and the CO2 concentration above the canopy should be corrected in order to represent the CO2 concentration below the canopy.
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spelling doaj-art-2e5f1033690d421bb8f4b7edb650d7ba2025-08-20T01:51:44ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)Earth and Space Science2333-50842025-02-01122n/an/a10.1029/2024EA003864Diurnal Variations of Below‐Canopy CO2 Concentration in a Subtropical Forested ValleyShizuo Fu0Yang Wang1Guofang Miao2Rong Wang3Hongda Zeng4Bai Yang5Jing M. Chen6Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco‐Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education Fujian Normal University Fuzhou ChinaKey Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco‐Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education Fujian Normal University Fuzhou ChinaKey Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco‐Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education Fujian Normal University Fuzhou ChinaKey Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco‐Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education Fujian Normal University Fuzhou ChinaKey Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco‐Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education Fujian Normal University Fuzhou ChinaCampbell Scientific Inc. Logan UT USAKey Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco‐Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education Fujian Normal University Fuzhou ChinaAbstract CO2 concentration was continuously measured at four levels in the below‐canopy layer of a subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest in Southeast China. The below‐canopy CO2 concentration was higher during the day than at night at all levels, in contrast to many previous studies. The amplitude of the diurnal variation of the below‐canopy CO2 concentration was controlled by the daily‐mean air or soil temperature. In the daytime, solar radiation heated the canopy layer more than the below‐canopy layer, so the below‐canopy layer became stable. Large vertical gradients of CO2 concentration therefore developed near the ground surface. CO2 concentration increased with stability when the stability was weak, because the increased stability suppressed the vertical turbulent mixing. On the contrary, CO2 concentration decreased with stability when the stability was strong, because the strong stability was maintained by intense solar radiation, which enhanced photosynthesis. In the nighttime, radiative cooling of the canopy layer caused the below‐canopy layer to be near‐neutral or unstable. CO2 concentration was therefore generally low and exhibited rather small vertical gradients. Nighttime CO2 concentration slightly increased when the stability became stronger. It was frequently observed that CO2 concentration rapidly decreased around the sunset from the peak value to a low value. Our results suggest that the storage term is important in the daytime eddy‐covariance measurements, and the CO2 concentration above the canopy should be corrected in order to represent the CO2 concentration below the canopy.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EA003864CO2 concentrationsubtropical forestcomplex terraindiurnal variation
spellingShingle Shizuo Fu
Yang Wang
Guofang Miao
Rong Wang
Hongda Zeng
Bai Yang
Jing M. Chen
Diurnal Variations of Below‐Canopy CO2 Concentration in a Subtropical Forested Valley
Earth and Space Science
CO2 concentration
subtropical forest
complex terrain
diurnal variation
title Diurnal Variations of Below‐Canopy CO2 Concentration in a Subtropical Forested Valley
title_full Diurnal Variations of Below‐Canopy CO2 Concentration in a Subtropical Forested Valley
title_fullStr Diurnal Variations of Below‐Canopy CO2 Concentration in a Subtropical Forested Valley
title_full_unstemmed Diurnal Variations of Below‐Canopy CO2 Concentration in a Subtropical Forested Valley
title_short Diurnal Variations of Below‐Canopy CO2 Concentration in a Subtropical Forested Valley
title_sort diurnal variations of below canopy co2 concentration in a subtropical forested valley
topic CO2 concentration
subtropical forest
complex terrain
diurnal variation
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EA003864
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