Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-43
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-43
02 Apr 2024
 | 02 Apr 2024
Status: this preprint is currently under review for the journal ESSD.

Deriving a Transformation Rate Map of Dissolved Organic Carbon over the Contiguous U.S.

Lingbo Li, Hong-Yi Li, Guta Abeshu, Jinyun Tang, L. Ruby Leung, Chang Liao, Zeli Tan, Hanqin Tian, Peter Thornton, and Xiaojuan Yang

Abstract. Riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) plays a vital role in regional and global carbon cycles. However, the processes of DOC conversion from soil organic carbon (SOC) and leaching into rivers are insufficiently understood, inconsistently represented, and poorly parameterized, particularly in land surface and earth system models. As a first attempt to fill this gap, we propose a generic formula that directly connects SOC concentration with DOC concentration in headwater streams, where a single parameter, the transformation rate from SOC in the soil to DOC leaching flux, Pr, accounts for the overall processes governing SOC conversion to DOC and leaching from soils (along with runoff) into headwater streams. We then derive a high-resolution Pr map over the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) in five major steps: 1) selecting 2595 headwater catchments where observed riverine DOC data are available with reasonable quality; 2) estimating catchment-average SOC for the 2595 catchments based on high-resolution SOC data; 3) estimating the Pr values for these catchments based on the generic formula and catchment-average SOC; 4) developing a predictive model of Pr with machine learning (ML) techniques and catchment-scale climate, hydrology, geology, and other attributes; and 5) deriving a national map of Pr, based on the ML model. For evaluation, we compare the DOC concentration derived using the Pr map and the observed DOC concentration values at another 3210 headwater gauges. The resulting mean absolute scaled error and coefficient of determination are 0.73 and 0.47, respectively, suggesting the effectiveness of the overall methodology. Efforts to constrain uncertainty and evaluate the sensitivity of Pr to different factors are discussed. To illustrate the use of such a map, we derive a riverine DOC concentration reanalysis dataset for more than two million small catchments over CONUS. The map, robustly derived and empirically validated, lays a critical cornerstone for better simulating the terrestrial carbon cycle in land surface and earth system models. Our findings not only set a foundation for improving our predictive understanding of the terrestrial carbon cycle at the regional and global scales but also hold promises for informing policy decisions related to decarbonization and climate change mitigation.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Lingbo Li, Hong-Yi Li, Guta Abeshu, Jinyun Tang, L. Ruby Leung, Chang Liao, Zeli Tan, Hanqin Tian, Peter Thornton, and Xiaojuan Yang

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on essd-2024-43', Chuanqi He, 21 May 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Hongyi Li, 25 Jun 2024
  • AC1: 'Comment on essd-2024-43', Hongyi Li, 24 Jun 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on AC1', Hongyi Li, 14 Aug 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on essd-2024-43', Anonymous Referee #2, 06 Aug 2024
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC2', Hongyi Li, 14 Aug 2024
  • RC3: 'Comment on essd-2024-43', Anonymous Referee #3, 28 Sep 2024
    • AC5: 'Reply on RC3', Hongyi Li, 31 Oct 2024
Lingbo Li, Hong-Yi Li, Guta Abeshu, Jinyun Tang, L. Ruby Leung, Chang Liao, Zeli Tan, Hanqin Tian, Peter Thornton, and Xiaojuan Yang

Data sets

Deriving a Transformation Rate Map of Dissolved Organic Carbon over the Contiguous U.S. Lingbo Li, Hong-Yi Li, Guta Abeshu, Jinyun Tang, L. Ruby Leung, Chang Liao, Zeli Tan, Hanqin Tian, Peter Thornton, and Xiaojuan Yang https://zenodo.org/records/8132850

Lingbo Li, Hong-Yi Li, Guta Abeshu, Jinyun Tang, L. Ruby Leung, Chang Liao, Zeli Tan, Hanqin Tian, Peter Thornton, and Xiaojuan Yang

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Short summary
We have developed a new map that reveals how organic carbon from soil leaches into headwater streams over the contiguous United States. We use advanced artificial intelligence techniques and a massive amount of data, including observations at over 2,500 gauges and a wealth of climate and environmental information. The map is a critical step in understanding and predicting how carbon moves through our environment, hence a useful tool for tackling climate challenges.
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