Existing terrestrial carbon accounting models have mainly investigated atmosphere-vegetationsoil
stocks and fluxes but have largely ignored the hydrological flux of organic carbon. It is
generally assumed that biomass and soil carbon are the only relevant pools in a landscape
ecosystem. However, recent findings have suggested that significant amounts of organic carbon
can dissolve (dissolved organic carbon or DOC) or particulate (particulate organic carbon or
POC) in water and enter the hydrological flux at the catchment scale. A significant quantity of
total organic carbon (TOC) sequestered through photosynthesis may be exported from the
landscape through the hydrological flux and stored in downstream stocks.¶
This thesis presents a catchment-scale case study investigation into the export of organic carbon
through a river system in comparison with carbon that is produced by vegetation through
photosynthesis. The Cotter River Catchment was selected as the case study. It is a forested
catchment that experienced a major wildfire event in January 2003. The approach is based on an
integration of a number of models. The main input data were time series of in-stream carbon
measurements and remotely sensed vegetation greenness. The application of models to
investigate diffuse chemical substances has dramatically increased in the past few years because
of the significant role of hydrology in controlling ecosystem exchange. The research firstly
discusses the use of a hydrological simulation model (IHACRES) to analyse organic carbon
samples from stream and tributaries in the Cotter River Catchment case study. The IHACRES
rainfall-runoff model and a regionalization method are used to estimate stream-flow for the 75
sub-catchments. The simulated streamflow data were used to calculate organic carbon loads
from concentrations sampled at five locations in the catchment.¶
The gross primary productivity (GPP) of the vegetation cover in the catchment was estimated
using a radiation use efficiency (RUE) model driven by MODIS TERRA data on vegetation
greenness and modeled surface irradiance (RS). The relationship between total organic carbon
discharged in-stream and total carbon uptake by plants was assessed using a cross-correlation
analysis.¶
The IHACRES rainfall-runoff model was successfully calibrated at three gauged sites and
performed well. The results of the calibration procedure were used in the regionalization method
that enabled streamflow to be estimated at ungauged locations including the seven sampling
sites and the 75 sub-catchment areas. The IHACRES modelling approach was found appropriate
for investigating a wide range of issues related to the hydrological export of organic carbon at
the catchment scale. A weekly sampling program was implemented to provide estimates of
TOC, DOC and POC concentrations in the Cotter River Catchment between July 2003 and June
2004. The organic carbon load was estimated using an averaging method.¶
The rate of photosynthesis by vegetation (GPP) was successfully estimated using the radiation
use efficiency model to discern general patterns of vegetation productivity at sub-catchment
scales. This analysis required detailed spatial resolution of the GPP across the entire catchment
area (comprising 75 sub-catchment areas) in addition to the sampling locations. Important
factors that varied at the catchment scale during the sampling period July 2003 June 2004,
particularly the wildfire impacts, were also considered in this assessment.
¶
The results of the hydrologic modelling approach and terrestrial GPP outcome were compared
using cross correlation and regression analysis. This comparison revealed the likely proportion
of catchment GPP that contributes to in-stream hydrological flux of organic carbon. TOC Load
was 0.45% of GPP and 22.5 - 25% of litter layer. As a result of this investigation and giving due
consideration to the uncertainties in the approach, it can be concluded that the hydrological flux
of organic carbon in a forested catchment is a function of gross primary productivity.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/216844 |
| Date | January 2005 |
| Creators | Sabetraftar, Karim, Karim.Sabetraftar@anu.edu.au |
| Publisher | The Australian National University. Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.anu.edu.au/legal/copyrit.html), Copyright Karim Sabetraftar |
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