Variation characteristics and influencing mechanism of CO2 flux from lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert: A case study of Yindeer Lake

Lakes within the Badain Jaran Desert, particularly Yindeer Lake, play a significant and previously underappreciated role in global carbon sequestration. A six-year study (2012–2017) using eddy covariance (EC) techniques revealed that these lakes act as net CO₂ sinks, absorbing approximately 1.91 × 10³ tons of CO₂ annually. This finding highlights their potential to mitigate global warming in arid regions. The research also identified that meteorological factors influence CO₂ flux on varying timescales and that inorganic processes, primarily driven by pH levels, control CO₂ absorption and release. These insights address the 'missing sink' problem, offering new directions for understanding carbon budgets in inland desert lakes.

Yang, P., Wang, N., Zhao, L., Zhang, D., Zhao, H., Niu, Z., & Fan, G. (2021). Variation characteristics and influencing mechanism of CO2 flux from lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert: A case study of Yindeer Lake. Ecological Indicators, 127, 107731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107731