Hydrology and Land Surface Studies

Localized erosion affects national carbon budget

  1. Durelle T. Scott1,5,
  2. W. Troy Baisden1,
  3. Rob Davies-Colley2,
  4. Basil Gomez3,
  5. D. Murray Hicks4,
  6. Michael J. Page1,
  7. Nicholas J. Preston1,6,
  8. Noel A. Trustrum1,7,
  9. Kevin R. Tate1,
  10. Ross A. Woods4

Article first published online: 11 JAN 2006

DOI: 10.1029/2005GL024644

Issue

Geophysical Research Letters

Geophysical Research Letters

Additional Information

How to Cite

Scott, D. T., W. T. Baisden, R. Davies-Colley, B. Gomez, D. M. Hicks, M. J. Page, N. J. Preston, N. A. Trustrum, K. R. Tate, and R. A. Woods (2006), Localized erosion affects national carbon budget, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L01402, doi:10.1029/2005GL024644.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Landcare Research, Palmerston North, New Zealand

  2. 2

    National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand

  3. 3

    Geomorphology Laboratory, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  4. 4

    National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Christchurch, New Zealand

  5. 5

    Now at Department of Geosciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

  6. 6

    Now at School of Earth Sciences, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand.

  7. 7

    Now at Institute of Geologic and Nuclear Sciences, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 11 JAN 2006
  2. Article first published online: 11 JAN 2006
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 16 NOV 2005
  4. Manuscript Revised: 11 NOV 2005
  5. Manuscript Received: 13 SEP 2005

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[1] Small mountainous rivers discharge disproportionate amounts of sediment and carbon to the Earth's oceans. Our New Zealand data demonstrates that localized erosion plays a greater role in C budgets than has been recognized in national and global studies. We estimate that New Zealand's rivers export 4 ± 1 Mg C km−2 yr−1 of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and 10 ± 3 Mg C km−2 yr−1 of particulate organic carbon (POC) (2 and 6 times the global average), which is equivalent to 40% of New Zealand's fossil fuel emissions. Under intact native vegetation in mountain-belt hot spots, POC export greatly exceeds CO2 consumption from mineral weathering. Moreover, deforestation of fertile steepland greatly accelerates POC loss, evidenced by 1.7% of New Zealand's land area which generates 20% of exported POC. Thus, localized erosion deserves increased attention in C budgets and accounting.

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