carbon dioxide in watershed peter li professor, earth sciences tennessee technological university

Carbon Dioxide in Watershed

Peter Li

Professor, Earth Sciences

Tennessee Technological University

Stanford University, 2007

Who Put Most CO2 to the air?

Government policy?

Source:http://intellectualize.org/images/cartoon20050605.gif

What can happen if we don’t produce less CO2 ?

• Warmer temperature………

Source: http://j-walkblog.com/index.php?/weblog/2006/02/17/

What can happen if we don’t produce

less CO2 ?

• Glaciers and ice sheets in Artic will melt (Polar Bears hunt on ice sheets)

Source: www.ens-newswire.com/.../20070102_polarbears.jpg

What can happen if we don’t produce less CO2 ?

• Sea levels will rise. Instead of going to Myrtle Beach, you boys will head to Knoxville Beach for your spring break..

What can happen if we don’t produce

less CO2 ?

• More violent weather

Source: www.davidosler.com/flood.jpg

Cane Creek Watershed -Geographic Location

• 24.1 mi2

• Developed, Open Space 8.0%• Developed, Low Density 7.8%• Developed, Medium Density1.6%• Deciduous Forest 24.8%• Pasture 17.9%• Crops 36.8%• Others 3.1%

Source: Peter Li, 2007

Warming Trend Upper Cumberland Area

Minimum Temperature over 54 Years

y = 0.0001x + 43.601

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5000 10000 15000 20000

day

Te

mp

era

ture

(F

ah

ren

he

it)

Source: Peter Li, 2007

Source: Peter Li, 2007

Our dedicated research assistant

Source: Peter Li, 2007

Source: Peter Li, 2007

CO2 Emission RateFigure 5. Soil Carbon Emission

-3500

-3000

-2500

-2000

-1500

-1000

-500

0

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Year

CO

2 (k

gC

/ha) CO2 Emission

Source: Peter Li, 2007

Drill for Winter Wheat

Qubit Soil CO2 Analyzer

Source: Peter Li, 2007

Land Use Change

Source: Peter Li, 2007

Conclusion

• Carbon Inventory is computed using GIS• Agricultural Practices have major impact

on carbon released to the air• Land use and cover change will pose a

major challenge to the carbon sequestration.

• Acknowledgement: NRCS, TTU, my dedicated students…Greg, Whitney, Derrick, Roshan, Drew….

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/naked-glacier-tunick-08182007