Understanding the Local Carbon Fluxes Variations and Their Relationship to Climate Conditions in a Sub-Humid Savannah-Ecosystem during 2008-2015: Case of Lamto in Cote d’Ivoire

Abstract

The temporal variations of the Gross Primary Productivity (GPP), the Total Ecosystem Respiration (TER) and the Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE), and their responses to meteorological conditions (e.g. temperature, radiative flux and precipitation) at Lamto, in wet savannah region across Côte d’Ivoire are analyzed using GFED-CASA and daily meteorological data recorded over the 2008-2015 period. The study shows the links between these carbon fluxes and climate variability at Lamto that is subject to high anthropogenic pressures and seasonal bushfires. The correlative statistics from multiple regression methods were used to assess the different relationships and show how they change in time. The results show important seasonal variability in the Gross Primary Productivity and the Total Ecosystem Respiration mainly associated with the changes in temperature and radiative flux. In addition, the statistical analysis suggests a high correlation between meteorological conditions and the GPP and TER. These climatic conditions may explain 83% and 79% of the variances of GPP and TER respectively. Moreover, the interannual variability of the Net Ecosystem Exchange indicates that around Lamto, in the subhu-mid savannah, the ecosystem behaves as a carbon sink similar to other West African ecosystems. On the other hand, there is no clear link between the NEE and temperature, radiative flux and precipitation. This lack of connec-tion may suggest a limited response of the NEE interannual dynamics related to the changes in climatic features.