CO₂ efflux from Amazonian headwater streams represents a significant fate for deep soil respiration

Abstract

Large Amazonian rivers are known to emit substantial amounts of CO 2 to the atmosphere, while the magnitude of CO 2 degassing from small streams remains a major unknown in regional carbon budgets. We found that 77% of carbon transported by water from the landscape was as terrestrially‐respired CO 2 dissolved within soils, over 90% of which evaded to the atmosphere within headwater reaches of streams. Hydrologic transport of dissolved CO 2 was equivalent to nearly half the gaseous CO 2 contributions from deep soil (>2 m) to respiration at the soil surface. Dissolved CO 2 in emergent groundwater was isotopically consistent with soil respiration, and demonstrated strong agreement with deep soil CO 2 concentrations and seasonal dynamics. During wet seasons, deep soil (2–8 m) CO 2 concentration profiles indicated gaseous diffusion to deeper layers, thereby enhancing CO 2 drainage to streams. Groundwater discharge of CO 2 and its subsequent evasion is a significant conduit for terrestrially‐respired carbon in tropical headwater catchments.