Spatial and seasonal variations of CO₂ flux and photosynthetic and respiratory parameters of larch forests in East Asia

<div><p></p><p>Larch (<i>Larix spp</i>.) forests are predominantly distributed across high latitudes of Eurasia. They potentially have a strong influence on the terrestrial carbon and energy cycles, because of their vast area and the large carbon stocks in their peat soils in the permafrost. In this study, we elucidated intersite variation of ecosystem photosynthetic and respiratory parameters of eight larch forests in East Asia using the CarboEastAsia carbon flux and micrometeorology dataset. These parameters were determined using the empirical relationship between the carbon fluxes (photosynthesis and respiration) and micrometeorological variables (light and temperature). In addition, we examined leaf area index (LAI) determined by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) remote sensing data to explain the intersite variation. Linear or exponential relationships with annual mean temperature or seasonal maximum LAI at the study sites were found for the annual carbon fluxes (gross primary production [GPP] and total ecosystem respiration [RE]) as well as for four of the five seasonal maximum values of determined photosynthetic and respiratory parameters (maximum GPP at light saturation, initial slope of the light-response curve, daytime respiration, and RE at the reference temperature of 10°C). Phenological indices, such as start day of the growing season, growing season length and growing season degree days explained much of the intersite variation of GPP and RE of the studied larch forests; however, the relationship between MODIS LAI and photosynthetic or respiratory parameters implies that the intersite variation in GPP and RE was caused not only by the temperature variation (abiotic factor), but also by the variation in the photosynthetic and respiration activity by vegetation (biotic factor) through the change in leaf (or whole vegetation) biomass. Our analysis shows that MODIS LAI serves as a good index to explain the variation of the ecosystem photosynthetic and respiratory characteristics of East Asian larch forests.</p>