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    Original Research Papers

    The atmospheric signal of terrestrial carbon isotopic discrimination and its implication for partitioning carbon fluxes

    Authors:

    John B. Miller ,

    Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, Colorado; Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, US
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    Pieter P. Tans,

    Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, Colorado, US
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    James W. C. White,

    Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, US
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    Thomas J. Conway,

    Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, Colorado, US
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    Bruce W. Vaughn

    Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, US
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    Abstract

    The 13C:12C ratio in atmospheric carbon dioxide has been measured in samples taken in the NOAA/CMDL network since 1991. By examining the relationship between weekly anomalies in δ13C and CO2 at continental sites in the network, we infer temporal and spatial values for the isotopic signature of terrestrial CO2 fluxes. We can convert these isotopic signatures to values of discrimination if we assume the atmospheric starting point for photosynthesis. The average discrimination in the Northern Hemisphere between 30 and 50°N is calculated to be 16.6 ± 0.2 per mil. In contrast to some earlier modeling studies, we find no strong latitudinal gradient in discrimination. However, we do observe that discrimination in Eurasia is larger than in North America, which is consistent with two modeling studies. We also observe a possible trend in the North American average of discrimination toward less discrimination. There is no apparent trend in the Eurasian average or at any individual sites. However, there is interannual variability on the order of 2 per mil at several sites and regions. Finally, we calculate the northern temperate terrestrial CO2 flux replacing our previous discrimination values of about 18 per mil with the average value of 16.6 calculated in this study. We find this enhances the terrestrial sink by about 0.4 GtC yr−1.

    How to Cite: Miller, J.B., Tans, P.P., White, J.W.C., Conway, T.J. and Vaughn, B.W., 2003. The atmospheric signal of terrestrial carbon isotopic discrimination and its implication for partitioning carbon fluxes. Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology, 55(2), pp.197–206. DOI: http://doi.org/10.3402/tellusb.v55i2.16696
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      Published on 01 Jan 2003
    Peer Reviewed
     CC BY 4.0
     Accepted on 2 Sep 2002            Submitted on 17 Jan 2002

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