Diurnal and Seasonal Variations of CO2 Fluxes and Their Climate Controlling Factors for a Subtropical Forest in Ningxiang

In this study, the diurnal and seasonal variations of CO2 fluxes in a subtropical mixed evergreen forest in Ningxiang of Hunan Province, part of the East Asian monsoon region, were quantified for the first time. The fluxes were based on eddy covariance measurements from a newly initiated flux tower. The relationship between the CO2 fluxes and climate factors was also analyzed. The results showed that the target ecosystem appeared to be a clear carbon sink in 2013, with integrated net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), ecosystem respiration (RE), and gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) of -428.8, 1534.8 and 1963.6 g C m(-2) yr(-1), respectively. The net carbon uptake (i.e. the -NEE), RE and GEP showed obvious seasonal variability, and were lower in winter and under drought conditions and higher in the growing season. The minimum NEE occurred on 12 June (-7.4 g C m(-2) d(-1)), due mainly to strong radiation, adequate moisture, and moderate temperature; while a very low net CO2 uptake occurred in August (9 g C m(-2) month(-1)), attributable to extreme summer drought. In addition, the NEE and GEP showed obvious diurnal variability that changed with the seasons. In winter, solar radiation and temperature were the main controlling factors for GEP, while the soil water content and vapor pressure deficit were the controlling factors in summer. Furthermore, the daytime NEE was mainly limited by the water-stress effect under dry and warm atmospheric conditions, rather than by the direct temperature-stress effect.