Articles | Volume 13, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-865-2016
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-865-2016
Research article
 | 
15 Feb 2016
Research article |  | 15 Feb 2016

Temperature dependence of the relationship between pCO2 and dissolved organic carbon in lakes

L. Pinho, C. M. Duarte, H. Marotta, and A. Enrich-Prast

Abstract. The relationship between the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration in Brazilian lakes, encompassing 225 samples across a wide latitudinal range in the tropics, was tested. Unlike the positive relationship reported for lake waters, which was largely based on temperate lakes, we found no significant relationship for low-latitude lakes (< 33°), despite very broad ranges in both pCO2 and DOC levels. These results suggest substantial differences in the carbon cycling of low-latitude lakes, which must be considered when upscaling limnetic carbon cycling to global scales.

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Short summary
Unlike the positive relationship reported before between partial pression of carbon dioxide and dissolved organic carbon for lake waters, we found no significant relationship in our low-latitude lakes, despite very broad ranges in both variables. The strength of this relationship declines with increasing water temperature, suggesting substantial differences in carbon cycling in warm lakes, which must be considered when upscaling limnetic carbon cycling to global scales.
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