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Spatial and temporal variability of pCO2 and CO2 efflux in seven Amazonian Rivers

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Abstract

Current estimates of CO2 outgassing from Amazonian rivers and streams have considerable uncertainty since they are based on limited-time surveys of pCO2 measurements along the Amazon mainstem and mouths of major tributaries, using conservative estimates of gas exchange velocities. In order to refine basin-scale CO2 efflux estimates from Amazonian rivers, we present a long time (5-year) dataset of direct measurements of CO2 fluxes, gas transfer velocities and pCO2 measurements in seven representative rivers of the lowland Amazon basin fluvial network, six non-tidal (Negro, Solimões, Teles Pires, Cristalino, Araguaia and Javaés) and one tidal river (Caxiuanã), with sizes ranging from 4th to 9th order. Surveys were conducted from January 2006 to December 2010, in a total of 389 campaigns covering all stages of their hydrographs. CO2 fluxes and gas transfer velocities (k) were measured using floating chambers and pCO2 was measured simultaneously by headspace extraction followed by gas chromatography analysis. Results show high CO2 flux rate variability among rivers and hydrograph stages, ranging from −0.8 to 15.3 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1, with unexpected negative fluxes in clear-water rivers during low waters. Non-tidal rivers showed marked seasonal CO2 flux patterns, with significantly higher exchange during high waters. Seasonality was modulated by pCO2, which was positive and strongly correlated with discharge. In these rivers k was well correlated with wind speed, which allowed the use of wind data to model k. We estimate a release of 360 ± 60 Tg C year−1 from Amazonian rivers and streams within a 1.47 million km2 quadrant in the central lowland Amazon. Extrapolating these values to the basin upstream of Óbidos, results in an outgassing of 0.8 Pg C to the atmosphere each year. Our results are a step forward in achieving more accurate gas emission values for Amazonian rivers and their role in the annual carbon budget of the Amazon basin.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by FAPESP Grants 08/58089-9, 10/19091-8 and MCT through LBA, and NASA LBA (NCC5-345 and NCC5-689). We thank especially the members of the Rede Beija Rio sampling network, Kelly Munhoz (FAPEMAT, MT), Soraya Rodrigues da Silva (UFT, TO), Maria Emília Sales (MPEG, PA), Hilândia Brandão (INPA, AM), Alexandra Montebelo, and the numerous students and employees who helped in the field.

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  1. Environmental Analysis and Geoprocessing Laboratory, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Av. Centenário, 303, São Dimas, Piracicaba, SP, 13416-000, Brazil

    Maria de Fátima F. L. Rasera, Alex V. Krusche, Maria V. R. Ballester & Reynaldo L. Victória

  2. School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Jeffrey E. Richey

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  1. Maria de Fátima F. L. Rasera
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  2. Alex V. Krusche
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Correspondence to Maria de Fátima F. L. Rasera.

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de Fátima F. L. Rasera, M., Krusche, A.V., Richey, J.E. et al. Spatial and temporal variability of pCO2 and CO2 efflux in seven Amazonian Rivers. Biogeochemistry 116, 241–259 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-013-9854-0

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