The European carbon balance. Part 4: integration of carbon and other trace‐gas fluxes

Abstract

Abstract Overviewing the European carbon (C), greenhouse gas (GHG), and non‐GHG fluxes, gross primary productivity (GPP) is about 9.3 Pg yr −1 , and fossil fuel imports are 1.6 Pg yr −1 . GPP is about 1.25% of solar radiation, containing about 360 × 10 18 J energy – five times the energy content of annual fossil fuel use. Net primary production (NPP) is 50%, terrestrial net biome productivity, NBP, 3%, and the net GHG balance, NGB, 0.3% of GPP. Human harvest uses 20% of NPP or 10% of GPP, or alternatively 1‰ of solar radiation after accounting for the inherent cost of agriculture and forestry, for production of pesticides and fertilizer, the return of organic fertilizer, and for the C equivalent cost of GHG emissions. C equivalents are defined on a global warming potential with a 100‐year time horizon. The equivalent of about 2.4% of the mineral fertilizer input is emitted as N 2 O. Agricultural emissions to the atmosphere are about 40% of total methane, 60% of total NO‐N, 70% of total N 2 O‐N, and 95% of total NH 3 ‐N emissions of Europe. European soils are a net C sink (114 Tg yr −1 ), but considering the emissions of GHGs, soils are a source of about 26 Tg CO 2 C‐equivalent yr −1 . Forest, grassland and sediment C sinks are offset by GHG emissions from croplands, peatlands and inland waters. Non‐GHGs (NH 3 , NO x ) interact significantly with the GHG and the C cycle through ammonium nitrate aerosols and dry deposition. Wet deposition of nitrogen (N) supports about 50% of forest timber growth. Land use change is regionally important. The absolute flux values total about 50 Tg C yr −1 . Nevertheless, for the European trace‐gas balance, land‐use intensity is more important than land‐use change. This study shows that emissions of GHGs and non‐GHGs significantly distort the C cycle and eliminate apparent C sinks.