Quantitative Estimation of Vegetation Carbon Source/Sink and Its Response to Climate Variability and Anthropogenic Activities in Dongting Lake Wetland, China

Wetlands are critical components of the global carbon cycle, yet their carbon sink dynamics under hydrological fluctuations remain insufficiently understood. This study employed the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model to estimate the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of the Dongting Lake wet...

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Main Authors: Mengshen Guo, Nianqing Zhou, Yi Cai, Xihua Wang, Xun Zhang, Shuaishuai Lu, Kehao Liu, Wengang Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/14/2475
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author Mengshen Guo
Nianqing Zhou
Yi Cai
Xihua Wang
Xun Zhang
Shuaishuai Lu
Kehao Liu
Wengang Zhao
author_facet Mengshen Guo
Nianqing Zhou
Yi Cai
Xihua Wang
Xun Zhang
Shuaishuai Lu
Kehao Liu
Wengang Zhao
author_sort Mengshen Guo
collection DOAJ
description Wetlands are critical components of the global carbon cycle, yet their carbon sink dynamics under hydrological fluctuations remain insufficiently understood. This study employed the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model to estimate the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of the Dongting Lake wetland and explored the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving mechanisms of carbon sinks from 2000 to 2022, utilizing the Theil-Sen median trend, Mann-Kendall test, and attribution based on the differentiating equation (ADE). Results showed that (1) the annual mean spatial NEP was 50.24 g C/m<sup>2</sup>/a, which first increased and then decreased, with an overall trend of −1.5 g C/m<sup>2</sup>/a. The carbon sink was strongest in spring, declined in summer, and shifted to a carbon source in autumn and winter. (2) Climate variability and human activities contributed +2.17 and −3.73 g C/m<sup>2</sup>/a to NEP, respectively. Human activities were the primary driver of carbon sink degradation (74.30%), whereas climate change mainly promoted carbon sequestration (25.70%). However, from 2000–2011 to 2011–2022, climate change shifted from enhancing to limiting carbon sequestration, mainly due to the transition from water storage and lake reclamation to ecological restoration policies and intensified climate anomalies. (3) NEP was negatively correlated with precipitation and water level. Land use adjustments, such as forest expansion and conversion of cropland and reed to sedge, alongside maintaining growing season water levels between 24.06~26.44 m, are recommended to sustain and enhance wetland carbon sinks. Despite inherent uncertainties in model parameterization and the lack of sufficient in situ flux validation, these findings could provide valuable scientific insights for wetland carbon management and policy-making.
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issn 2072-4292
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
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spelling doaj-art-5634d60630ac4afab4d69998fb703fb52025-08-20T02:47:14ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-07-011714247510.3390/rs17142475Quantitative Estimation of Vegetation Carbon Source/Sink and Its Response to Climate Variability and Anthropogenic Activities in Dongting Lake Wetland, ChinaMengshen Guo0Nianqing Zhou1Yi Cai2Xihua Wang3Xun Zhang4Shuaishuai Lu5Kehao Liu6Wengang Zhao7Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaDepartment of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaDepartment of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaDepartment of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaDepartment of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaDepartment of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaDepartment of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaHunan Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Changsha 410007, ChinaWetlands are critical components of the global carbon cycle, yet their carbon sink dynamics under hydrological fluctuations remain insufficiently understood. This study employed the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model to estimate the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of the Dongting Lake wetland and explored the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving mechanisms of carbon sinks from 2000 to 2022, utilizing the Theil-Sen median trend, Mann-Kendall test, and attribution based on the differentiating equation (ADE). Results showed that (1) the annual mean spatial NEP was 50.24 g C/m<sup>2</sup>/a, which first increased and then decreased, with an overall trend of −1.5 g C/m<sup>2</sup>/a. The carbon sink was strongest in spring, declined in summer, and shifted to a carbon source in autumn and winter. (2) Climate variability and human activities contributed +2.17 and −3.73 g C/m<sup>2</sup>/a to NEP, respectively. Human activities were the primary driver of carbon sink degradation (74.30%), whereas climate change mainly promoted carbon sequestration (25.70%). However, from 2000–2011 to 2011–2022, climate change shifted from enhancing to limiting carbon sequestration, mainly due to the transition from water storage and lake reclamation to ecological restoration policies and intensified climate anomalies. (3) NEP was negatively correlated with precipitation and water level. Land use adjustments, such as forest expansion and conversion of cropland and reed to sedge, alongside maintaining growing season water levels between 24.06~26.44 m, are recommended to sustain and enhance wetland carbon sinks. Despite inherent uncertainties in model parameterization and the lack of sufficient in situ flux validation, these findings could provide valuable scientific insights for wetland carbon management and policy-making.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/14/2475NEPcarbon sinkslake wetlanddriving mechanismsclimate factorsanthropogenic factors
spellingShingle Mengshen Guo
Nianqing Zhou
Yi Cai
Xihua Wang
Xun Zhang
Shuaishuai Lu
Kehao Liu
Wengang Zhao
Quantitative Estimation of Vegetation Carbon Source/Sink and Its Response to Climate Variability and Anthropogenic Activities in Dongting Lake Wetland, China
Remote Sensing
NEP
carbon sinks
lake wetland
driving mechanisms
climate factors
anthropogenic factors
title Quantitative Estimation of Vegetation Carbon Source/Sink and Its Response to Climate Variability and Anthropogenic Activities in Dongting Lake Wetland, China
title_full Quantitative Estimation of Vegetation Carbon Source/Sink and Its Response to Climate Variability and Anthropogenic Activities in Dongting Lake Wetland, China
title_fullStr Quantitative Estimation of Vegetation Carbon Source/Sink and Its Response to Climate Variability and Anthropogenic Activities in Dongting Lake Wetland, China
title_full_unstemmed Quantitative Estimation of Vegetation Carbon Source/Sink and Its Response to Climate Variability and Anthropogenic Activities in Dongting Lake Wetland, China
title_short Quantitative Estimation of Vegetation Carbon Source/Sink and Its Response to Climate Variability and Anthropogenic Activities in Dongting Lake Wetland, China
title_sort quantitative estimation of vegetation carbon source sink and its response to climate variability and anthropogenic activities in dongting lake wetland china
topic NEP
carbon sinks
lake wetland
driving mechanisms
climate factors
anthropogenic factors
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/14/2475
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