Regional Atmospheric CO2 Response to Ecosystem CO2 Budgets in China

Abstract

The distribution of atmospheric CO2 is not homogenous, primarily due to variations in the CO2 budgets of regional terrestrial ecosystems. To formulate a comprehensive strategy to combat the increasing global CO2 levels and associated warming, it is crucial to consider both the distribution of atmospheric CO2 and the CO2 budgets of ecosystems. This study focused on analyzing the relationship between regional atmospheric CO2 and CO2 budgets in China from 2010 to 2017. Initially, a robust estimation model of net ecosystem CO2 exchange was developed to calculate CO2 budgets using collected emission data. Subsequently, Pearson correlation, redundancy analysis, and geographically weighted regression techniques were employed to examine the link between atmospheric CO2 levels, CO2 budgets, and other meteorological factors at various spatial and temporal scales. The findings from the redundancy analysis and geographically weighted regression indicated that the atmospheric CO2 content of each province could not be solely determined by the regional CO2 budgets. However, a significant and positive correlation between atmospheric CO2 levels and CO2 budgets was observed in non-coastal provinces for a period of six months (R2 ranging from 0.46 to 0.83). Consequently, it is essential to promote a balance between CO2 emissions and the CO2 uptake capacity of regional ecosystems. This balance would minimize positive CO2 budgets and effectively mitigate the increase in atmospheric CO2 levels.