Theory 74/Ecosystem/Ecosystem carbon
Net Carbon Is Production Against Respiration
The claim
Whether an ecosystem is a carbon sink is set by the ratio of gross primary production to ecosystem respiration, so a productive system with fast decomposition can be a source.
01Mechanism
Net exchange is the difference between uptake and release; the ratio determines the sign.
02Prediction
Net sink should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Net carbon tracking productivity would remove respiration.