Integrating terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to constrain estimates of land-atmosphere carbon exchange.
Joan P Casas-Ruiz, Pascal Bodmer, Kelly Ann Bona, David Butman, Mathilde Couturier, Erik J S Emilson, Kerri Finlay, Hélène Genet, Daniel Hayes, Jan Karlsson, David Paré, Changhui Peng, Rob Striegl, Jackie Webb, Xinyuan Wei, Susan E Ziegler, Paul A Del Giorgio
Author Information
Joan P Casas-Ruiz: Research Group on Ecology of Inland Waters (GRECO), Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain. jpcasasruiz@gmail.com. ORCID
Pascal Bodmer: Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie (GRIL), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada. ORCID
Kelly Ann Bona: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau, QC, Canada.
David Butman: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. ORCID
Mathilde Couturier: Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie (GRIL), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Erik J S Emilson: Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. ORCID
Kerri Finlay: University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada. ORCID
Hélène Genet: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA. ORCID
Daniel Hayes: University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA. ORCID
Jan Karlsson: Umeå Universitet, Umeå, Sweden. ORCID
David Paré: Natural Resources Canada, Québec, QC, Canada. ORCID
Changhui Peng: Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie (GRIL), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada. ORCID
Rob Striegl: United States Geological Survey, Boulder, CO, USA. ORCID
Jackie Webb: Centre for Regional and Rural Futures (CeRRF), Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Griffith, NSW, Australia. ORCID
Xinyuan Wei: University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA.
Susan E Ziegler: Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. ORCID
Paul A Del Giorgio: Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie (GRIL), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada. ORCID
In this Perspective, we put forward an integrative framework to improve estimates of land-atmosphere carbon exchange based on the accumulation of carbon in the landscape as constrained by its lateral export through rivers. The framework uses the watershed as the fundamental spatial unit and integrates all terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well as their hydrologic carbon exchanges. Application of the framework should help bridge the existing gap between land and atmosphere-based approaches and offers a platform to increase communication and synergy among the terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric research communities that is paramount to advance landscape carbon budget assessments.
