Investigation of covariability between energy fluxes and CO2 exchange over a semi-arid savanna (Kruger National Park) by Eddie Covariance Technique

Abstract

South Africa faces climate change, natural disasters, and rising temperatures due to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, primarily caused by deforestation, burning fossil fuels, and releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere without additional carbon sinks. The gap in understanding lies in studying the connection between energy flows and Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) at the semi-arid savanna of Kruger National Park to gain a more detailed and accurate understanding of these processes, especially in semi-arid savannas that are susceptible to changes in environmental factors. By studying energy fluxes and NEE at Kruger National Park using the eddy covariance technique, the dissertation seeks to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms driving carbon exchange in semi-arid savannas and provide insights into the impact of environmental factors on ecosystem processes. The eddy covariance technique is a powerful tool that directly measures energy and carbon dioxide exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere. The study shows that the correlation between NEE and latent heat flux (LE) and net radiation (Rn) is generally the strongest, while ground heat flux (G) and sensible heat flux (H) have little impact on NEE. The dataset provides insight into the biometeorological and flow dynamics of the Skukuza ecosystem and how it responds to climate change. The study emphasizes the importance of considering seasonality, climatic variability, and precipitation when studying the surface energy balance and its components. The findings have implications for understanding the complex interactions between ecosystem processes and environmental factors.