Farmland Carbon and Water Exchange and Its Response to Environmental Factors in Arid Northwest China
Xinqian Zheng,
Fan Yang,
Ali Mamtimin,
Xunguo Huo,
Jiacheng Gao,
Chunrong Ji,
Silalan Abudukade,
Chaofan Li,
Yingwei Sun,
Wenbiao Wang,
Zhengnan Cui,
Yu Wang,
Mingjie Ma,
Wen Huo,
Chenglong Zhou,
Xinghua Yang
Affiliations
Xinqian Zheng
Xinjiang Agro-Meteorological Observatory, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China
Fan Yang
Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, China
Ali Mamtimin
Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, China
Xunguo Huo
Xinjiang Agro-Meteorological Observatory, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China
Jiacheng Gao
Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, China
Chunrong Ji
Xinjiang Agro-Meteorological Observatory, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China
Silalan Abudukade
Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, China
Chaofan Li
Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disaster, School of Geographic Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Yingwei Sun
Xinjiang Information Engineering School, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830002, China
Wenbiao Wang
Elion Resources Group Co., Ltd., NO.15 Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100026, China
Zhengnan Cui
Elion Resources Group Co., Ltd., NO.15 Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100026, China
Yu Wang
Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, China
Mingjie Ma
Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, China
Wen Huo
Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, China
Chenglong Zhou
Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, China
Xinghua Yang
Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, China
Carbon neutrality is an important target in China’s efforts to combat the climate crisis. The implementation of carbon neutrality requires high crop yields in farmland ecosystems of arid regions. However, the responses of farmland ecosystems to environmental changes and their effects on the conversion and intensity of carbon sources/sinks within farmlands in arid regions remain unclear, which limits carbon sequestration. In this study, we used a set of eddy covariance systems to observe carbon and water fluxes in cotton and spring maize, two typical crops in arid regions of Northern Xinjiang in China. The carbon and water exchange and water use efficiency (WUE) of cotton and spring maize were evaluated over the entire growth cycle with respect to changes in the environment. Our results show that the carbon sequestration capacity of farmland ecosystems in arid regions is undeniable and is strongly influenced by the growth and development of plants. Spring maize, as a representative of C4 plants, exhibited a 58.4% higher carbon sequestration efficiency than cotton, a C3 plant, and they both reached their carbon sequestration efficiency peak in July. Throughout the growth period, temperature, net surface radiation, and saturated vapor pressure differences (VPD) significantly affected the carbon sequestration capacity and WUE of both crops. Optimal temperatures can maximize the carbon sequestration efficiency of cotton and spring maize; for cotton, they are 20–25 °C, and for spring maize, they are 22–27 °C, respectively. In addition, it is recommended that spring maize be harvested at the end of July when it meets the harvesting standards for silage feed and achieves the maximum carbon sequestration. Afterward, winter crops should be planted to maximize the yield and improve the carbon sequestration capacity of farmlands.
