CH4 and CO2 emissions and dissolved carbon exporting in rivers on the upper Lanzhou section of the Yellow River, China

CH4 and CO2 emissions and dissolved carbon exporting in rivers on the upper Lanzhou section of the Yellow River, China

  • 摘要: The Yellow River (YR), China's second-longest river, remains understudied regarding its greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions, particularly the impacts of urban drainage ditches and wastewater treatment facilities on regional GHGs dynamics. This study investigated methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, fluxes and stable carbon isotopes (δ13C-CH4 and δ13C-CO2) across six main stream, three ditches, and one wastewater treatment site along the upper Lanzhou section of the YR, spanning from the urban entrance (36.176°N, 103.449°E) to the exit of Lanzhou city (36.056°N, 104.020°E). Measured CH4 diffusion fluxes in mainstem sites ranged from 0.01 to 2.58 mmol·m-2·d-1 (mean:0.36 mmol·m-2·d-1), while ebullitive fluxes (gas bubbles) ranged from 0.01 to 18.89 mmol·m-2·d-1 (mean:0.90 mmol·m-2·d-1). CO2 diffusion fluxes varied between 9.16-92.80 mmol·m-2·d-1 (averaged:39.11 mmol·m-2·d-1) at these locations. Ebullition (bubble) fluxes accounted for 53.1% ±22.4% (range:9.0% to 98.4%) to total CH4emissions (diffusion plus ebullition), with peak fluxes occurring during summer, indicating its significance as a CH4 transport mechanism. Notably, both diffusion CH4 and CO2 fluxes and ebullitive CH4 rates at ditch sites substantially exceeded those in mainstream reaches. The lowest CH4 and highest CO2 concentrations were observed at a wastewater treatment site, likely resulting from the removal of high organic loads. Acetoclastic methanogenesis-the process converting acetate-derived methyl groups to CH4-was identified as the dominant production pathway in both mainstream and ditch environments. CH4 and CO2 flux magnitudes in the upper YR (Lanzhou section) were comparable to those observed in subtropical Yangtze River tributaries. These results demonstrate that anthropogenic influences significantly enhance CO2/CH4 emissions, and the lateral exports of dissolved carbon (DIC and DOC) in the main stream site was quantified., which cannot be overlooked. The findings emphasize the critical need to account for pronounced spatiotemporal variations in arid-region GHG fluxes to improve basin-scale estimates for the YR.

     

    Abstract: The Yellow River (YR), China's second-longest river, remains understudied regarding its greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions, particularly the impacts of urban drainage ditches and wastewater treatment facilities on regional GHGs dynamics. This study investigated methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, fluxes and stable carbon isotopes (δ13C-CH4 and δ13C-CO2) across six main stream, three ditches, and one wastewater treatment site along the upper Lanzhou section of the YR, spanning from the urban entrance (36.176°N, 103.449°E) to the exit of Lanzhou city (36.056°N, 104.020°E). Measured CH4 diffusion fluxes in mainstem sites ranged from 0.01 to 2.58 mmol·m-2·d-1 (mean:0.36 mmol·m-2·d-1), while ebullitive fluxes (gas bubbles) ranged from 0.01 to 18.89 mmol·m-2·d-1 (mean:0.90 mmol·m-2·d-1). CO2 diffusion fluxes varied between 9.16-92.80 mmol·m-2·d-1 (averaged:39.11 mmol·m-2·d-1) at these locations. Ebullition (bubble) fluxes accounted for 53.1% ±22.4% (range:9.0% to 98.4%) to total CH4emissions (diffusion plus ebullition), with peak fluxes occurring during summer, indicating its significance as a CH4 transport mechanism. Notably, both diffusion CH4 and CO2 fluxes and ebullitive CH4 rates at ditch sites substantially exceeded those in mainstream reaches. The lowest CH4 and highest CO2 concentrations were observed at a wastewater treatment site, likely resulting from the removal of high organic loads. Acetoclastic methanogenesis-the process converting acetate-derived methyl groups to CH4-was identified as the dominant production pathway in both mainstream and ditch environments. CH4 and CO2 flux magnitudes in the upper YR (Lanzhou section) were comparable to those observed in subtropical Yangtze River tributaries. These results demonstrate that anthropogenic influences significantly enhance CO2/CH4 emissions, and the lateral exports of dissolved carbon (DIC and DOC) in the main stream site was quantified., which cannot be overlooked. The findings emphasize the critical need to account for pronounced spatiotemporal variations in arid-region GHG fluxes to improve basin-scale estimates for the YR.

     

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