Understanding the Terrestrial Carbon Cycle: An Ecohydrological Perspective

Abstract

The terrestrial carbon (C) cycle has a great role in influencing the climate with complex interactions that are spatially and temporally variable and scale-related. Hence, it is essential that we fully understand the scale-specific complexities of the terrestrial C-cycle towards (1) strategic design of monitoring and experimental initiatives and (2) also developing conceptualizations for modeling purposes. These complexities arise due to the nonlinear interactions of various components that govern the fluxes of mass and energy across the soil-plant-atmospheric continuum. Considering the critical role played by hydrological processes in governing the biogeochemical and plant physiological processes, a coupled representation of these three components (collectively referred to as ecohydrological approach) is critical to explain the complexity in the terrestrial C-cycling processes. In this regard, we synthesize the research works conducted in this broad area and bring them to a common platform with an ecohydrological spirit. This could aid in the development of novel concepts of nonlinear ecohydrological interactions and thereby help reduce the current uncertainties in the terrestrial C-cycling process. The usefulness of spatially explicit and process-based ecohydrological models that have tight coupling between hydrological, ecophysiological, and biogeochemical processes is also discussed.

Biosorption of heavy metal polluted soil using bacteria and fungi isolated from soil

“…Heavy metals are natural elements with atomic number greater than 20, characterized by a relatively high density (at least 5 g cm −3 ), and are toxic even at low concentrations [1][2][3]. They are characteristically existing components found in changing variation in the environments and are part of human daily activities, they are also found in important structures and in a range of other artificial mixes [4]. The activities of human have greatly impacted on some heavy metal biochemical cycles and equalization of which a great number of heavy metals have found its use in various items such as cars and batteries [5].…”

Phenoseasonal subcanopy light dynamics and the effects of light on the physiological ecology of a common understory shrub, Lindera benzoin

“…benzoin within our plot, can be to light regime changes as seemingly small as 50 μmol m -2 s -1 . On a large scale, the photosynthesis of these canopy and subcanopy plants plays a large role in the carbon and water cycles, the maintenance of which are of global importance [19,36,37]. It is important to continue to better our understanding of the nuances of such processes, how these processes may change in the future, and how future changes to these processes may affect species composition, plant structure, function, production, and even periodicity of phenophases of a forest stand, to better understand the larger role plants play in the future of the Earth’s climate.…”

Terrestrial carbon cycle: tipping edge of climate change between the atmosphere and biosphere ecosystems

“…Carbon cycle, in the terrestrial biome is strongly influenced by various ecological and climatic variables 127,154 . One such regulator is hydrology.…”

“…In another aspect, evapotranspiration (ET) -an unavoidable component of the water cycle, is mediated by stomatal closure of the biota, which corresponds to the efflux and influx of carbon through ER 44,75,81 . Under climate change, with the induced ET, the ecotypes in the terrestrial ecosystem experience soil drying with decreased soil-leaf water potential 44,154 . The traditional paradigm of ER and climate proportionality was lodged by the recent studies like Green et al 126 , Nakayama and Pelletier 155 , Sharma et al 110 and Worden et al 13 , highlighting that the hydrological factors are strongly correlated with the key carbon flux drivers at a higher degree.…”