Diel variation in <scp> CO <sub>2</sub> </scp> flux is substantial in many lakes

Abstract Lakes play a significant role in the global carbon cycle, acting as sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). In situ measurements of CO 2 flux (FCO 2 ) from lakes have generally been collected during daylight, despite indications of significant diel variability. This introduces bias when scaling up to whole‐lake annual aquatic carbon budgets. We conducted an international sampling program to ascertain the extent of diel variation in FCO 2 across lakes. We sampled 21 lakes over 41 campaigns and measured FCO 2 at 4‐h intervals over a full diel cycle. Rates of FCO 2 ranged from −3.16 to 4.39 mmol m −2 h −1 . Integrated over a day, FCO 2 ranged from −381.68 to 878.49 mg C m −2 d −1 (mean = 76.54) across campaigns. We identified three characteristic diel patterns in FCO 2 related to trophic status and show that for half of the campaigns, daily flux estimates were biased by &gt; 50% if based on a single (daytime) measurement.

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Publication Details

Journal
Limnology and Oceanography Letters
Published
2025-09-19
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.70066
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Marine and coastal ecosystems
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
5.38

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article

Diel variation in CO 2 flux is substantial in many lakes

Alo Laas, Ilga Kokorīte, Biel Obrador, Hans‐Peter Grossart et al.
3 citations
Limnology and Oceanography Letters
Marine and coastal ecosystems
5.38
article

Diel variation in CO 2 flux is substantial in many lakes

Alo Laas, Ilga Kokorīte, Biel Obrador, Hans‐Peter Grossart, Amir Reza Shahabinia, Matthias Koschorreck, Sari Juutinen, Sarian Kosten, Brian C. Doyle, Ryan P. McClure, Rachel M. Pilla, Jānis Bikše, David E. Reed, David Rudberg, Mika Aurela, Anna Lupon, Richard Iestyn Woolway, Gesa A. Weyhenmeyer, Ankur R. Desai, Cayelan C. Carey, Annalea Lohila, Angela Baldocchi, Rafael Marcé, Ludmila Silva Brighenti, José Fernandes Bezerra‐Neto, Eva‐Ingrid Rõõm, Steven Sadro, Blaize A. Denfeld, Philipp S. Keller, James A. Rusak, Heleen A. de Wit, François Clayer, Hannah E. Chmiel, David Bastviken, Jorge Encinas Fernández, Elvira de Eyto, Jan‐Erik Thrane, Robyn L. Smyth, Nathan Barros, Samuel Haverinen
article en
3 citations

Abstract

Abstract Lakes play a significant role in the global carbon cycle, acting as sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). In situ measurements of CO 2 flux (FCO 2 ) from lakes have generally been collected during daylight, despite indications of significant diel variability. This introduces bias when scaling up to whole‐lake annual aquatic carbon budgets. We conducted an international sampling program to ascertain the extent of diel variation in FCO 2 across lakes. We sampled 21 lakes over 41 campaigns and measured FCO 2 at 4‐h intervals over a full diel cycle. Rates of FCO 2 ranged from −3.16 to 4.39 mmol m −2 h −1 . Integrated over a day, FCO 2 ranged from −381.68 to 878.49 mg C m −2 d −1 (mean = 76.54) across campaigns. We identified three characteristic diel patterns in FCO 2 related to trophic status and show that for half of the campaigns, daily flux estimates were biased by &gt; 50% if based on a single (daytime) measurement.

Limnology and Oceanography LettersVol. 10(6)
Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (BR), Linköping University (SE), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (BR), Uppsala University (SE), Finnish Meteorological Institute (FI), Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (CA), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (US), University of Wisconsin–Madison (US), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (DE), Radboud University Nijmegen (NL), Bangor University (GB), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (US), University of Potsdam (DE), Estonian University of Life Sciences (EE), Queen's University (CA), Helsinki Institute of Physics (FI), Radboud University Medical Center (NL), Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NO), Munster Technological University (IE), Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (ES), Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (NL), Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (DE), National Research Council (LK), Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (ES), Technological University Dublin (IE), Limnological Institute (RU), Marine Institute (IE), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH), Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (IE), University of California, Davis (US), Virginia Tech (US), Umeå University (SE), University of Latvia (LV)
National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, Battelle, UK Research and Innovation, Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network, Australian Government, UT-Battelle, Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas, Eesti Teadusagentuur, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse, Vetenskapsrådet, Miljødirektoratet, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Natural Environment Research Council, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Water Power Technologies Office, Office of Energy Efficiency, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Marine and coastal ecosystems
5.38
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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