Search

Abstract: CO2 concentrations and related environmental factors were measured in an Asian tropical rainforest located in a small valley in Xishuangbanna, SW China, with the aim of investigating the CO2 pooling effect and its mechanism of formation. Pooling of CO2 was observed during the evening (1600–2200 hours local time); the accumulated CO2 subsequently flowed away after dusk. We consider that along-slope drainage flow, soil CO2 efflux, and temperature inversion contribute to the development of CO2 pooling. A new model is proposed to track the mechanism of the formation and dissipation of CO2 pooling (e.g., drainage flow, compensatory mechanisms). Given its influence on the storage term, we suggest that CO2 pooling and subsequent disappearance should be taken into account when calculating eddy covariance and other micrometeorological measurements of carbon flux for valley sites.