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Factors contributing to the oxygen concentration over the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its contribution rate calculation

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Abstract

A decline in atmospheric oxygen concentration is projected in the 21st century given the background of global warming. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is located at a high altitude, and thus, it faces a hypoxia challenge; however, knowledge of the factors contributing to its atmospheric oxygen concentration is still lacking. Here, we conducted joint observations of ecosystem oxygen production and carbon sinks and near-surface atmospheric oxygen concentrations on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and meteorological elements at Beijing Fangshan Station. Using seasonal differences and statistical methods, we calculated the relative contribution rates of vegetation to changes in atmospheric oxygen concentration. Our results indicate that solar radiation, atmospheric humidity, and ecosystem oxygen consumption and production have a significant impact on the atmospheric oxygen concentration, and the impact shows temporal and spatial differences. Vegetation significantly impacts the oxygen concentration, with a contribution rate of 16.7%–24.5%, which is underestimated in existing research. Our findings provide important insights into the factors that influence atmospheric oxygen concentration and highlight the contribution of vegetation. To better understand the oxygen dynamics of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we recommend further field observations of soil respiration and vegetation photosynthesis to clarify the contributions of carbon storage, carbon sinks and other factors to the near-surface atmospheric oxygen concentration.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the teachers and students of Beijing Normal University and Qinghai Normal University (Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability, People’s Government of Qinghai Province&Beijing Normal University) who participated in the field observation measurements. We thank also the three anonymous reviewers for the thoughtful and useful comments on the previous version of our manuscript. This study was supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (Grant Nos. 2019QZKK0606 & 2019QZKK0906).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Peijun Shi, Ying Zhang, Yanqiang Chen, Wenquan Zhu, Xiaokang Hu, Heyi Yang, Lu Jiang & Haiping Tang

  2. Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disaster, Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Peijun Shi, Ying Zhang, Yanqiang Chen, Wenquan Zhu, Xiaokang Hu, Heyi Yang, Lu Jiang & Haiping Tang

  3. Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability, People’s Government of Qinghai Province & Beijing Normal University, Xining, 810016, China

    Yonggui Ma

  4. The Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China

    Yanqiang Chen

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  1. Peijun Shi
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  2. Ying Zhang
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  3. Yanqiang Chen
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Correspondence to Peijun Shi or Lu Jiang.

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Shi, P., Zhang, Y., Chen, Y. et al. Factors contributing to the oxygen concentration over the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its contribution rate calculation. Sci. China Earth Sci. 67, 497–509 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-023-1238-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-023-1238-7

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