Carbon and water fluxes in an alpine steppe ecosystem in the Nam Co area of the Tibetan Plateau during two years with contrasting amounts of precipitation

Carbon and water fluxes and their interactions with climate drivers in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau are poorly understood. This lack of understanding is particularly evident for the alpine steppe in the Nam Co area of the hinterland on the Tibetan Plateau, which is vulnerable and exceedingly sensitive to climate change. In this study, eddy covariance (EC) measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water fluxes were carried out in this region during the growing season of 2008 and 2009, with contrasting hydrological conditions. The results show that (1) the monthly patterns of carbon and water fluxes differed markedly in the two years; the total respiration (Re), net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange (NEE) and gross primary productivity (GPP) were 181.6 ± 11.5, − 62.6 ± 10.8, and 244.2 ± 9.6 and 144.6 ± 12.0, − 32.4 ± 11.7, and 176.9 ± 12.3 g C m−2 during the growing seasons in 2008 and 2009; meanwhile, the cumulative evapotranspiration (ET) values were 503.1 ± 13.5 and 387.3 ± 8.2 mm during the growing season in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The cumulative carbon fluxes and ET were both higher in the wetter 2008 than in the drier 2009, consistent with the precipitation results. (2) Soil water content (SWC) played a paramount role in the variations in carbon fluxes (NEE, GPP, and Re) and ET during the vegetative period over the two years. As a result, the alpine steppe ecosystem was water-limited. (3) Water stress caused by the low surface soil water content significantly depressed photosynthesis and ET during the daytime in July and August. (4) Water use efficiency (WUE) had a negative relationship with SWC during the growing season in these two years, and the WUE increased during drought.