Controls on Terrestrial Carbon Fluxes in Simulated Networks of Connected Streams and Lakes

Inland waters play a critical role in the carbon cycle by emitting significant amounts of land-exported to atmosphere. While gas emissions from individual aquatic systems have been extensively studied, how networks connected streams and lakes regulate integrated fluxes organic inorganic forms remain poorly understood. Here, we develop process-based model simulate fate terrestrial dissolved (DOC) dioxide (CO2) artificial inland water with variable topology, hydrology, DOC reactivity. is highly dependent on reactivity, find that mineralization more efficient lake-rich networks. Regardless typology CO2 emitted almost entirely within network boundary. Consequently, proportion exported increases versus export ratio. Overall, our results suggest are governed interactions between relative amount reactivity inputs configuration recipient streams.