Abstract. Recent studies have suggested the potential importance of abiotic degradation in arid ecosystems. In this study, the role of photo-and thermal degradation in ecosystem CO 2 and CO exchange is assessed. A field experiment was performed in Italy using an FTIR-spectrometer (Fourier Transform Infrared) coupled to a flux gradient system and to flux chambers. In a laboratory experiment, field samples were exposed to different temperatures and radiation intensities.No photodegradation-induced CO 2 and CO fluxes of in literature suggested magnitudes were found in the field nor in the laboratory study. In the laboratory, we measured CO 2 and CO fluxes that were derived from thermal degradation. In the field experiment, CO uptake and emission have been measured and are proposed to be a result of biological uptake and abiotic thermal degradation-production.We suggest that previous studies, addressing direct photodegradation, have overestimated the role of photodegradation and observed fluxes might be due to thermal degradation, which is an indirect effect of radiation. The potential importance of abiotic decomposition in the form of thermal degradation, especially for arid regions, should be considered in future studies.

Abstract. Carbon monoxide (CO) plays an important role in controlling the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere by reacting with OH radicals that affect atmospheric methane (CH4) dynamics. We develop a process-based biogeochemistry model to quantify the CO exchange between soils and the atmosphere with a 5 min internal time step at the global scale. The model is parameterized using the CO flux data from the field and laboratory experiments for 11 representative ecosystem types. The model is then extrapolated to global terrestrial ecosystems using monthly climate forcing data. Global soil gross consumption, gross production, and net flux of the atmospheric CO are estimated to be from −197 to −180, 34 to 36, and −163 to −145 Tg CO yr−1 (1 Tg = 1012 g), respectively, when the model is driven with satellite-based atmospheric CO concentration data during 2000–2013. Tropical evergreen forest, savanna and deciduous forest areas are the largest sinks at 123 Tg CO yr−1. The soil CO gross consumption is sensitive to air temperature and atmospheric CO concentration, while the gross production is sensitive to soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and air temperature. By assuming that the spatially distributed atmospheric CO concentrations (∼ 128 ppbv) are not changing over time, the global mean CO net deposition velocity is estimated to be 0.16–0.19 mm s−1 during the 20th century. Under the future climate scenarios, the CO deposition velocity will increase at a rate of 0.0002–0.0013 mm s−1 yr−1 during 2014–2100, reaching 0.20–0.30 mm s−1 by the end of the 21st century, primarily due to the increasing temperature. Areas near the Equator, the eastern US, Europe and eastern Asia will be the largest sinks due to optimum soil moisture and high temperature. The annual global soil net flux of atmospheric CO is primarily controlled by air temperature, soil temperature, SOC and atmospheric CO concentrations, while its monthly variation is mainly determined by air temperature, precipitation, soil temperature and soil moisture.

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Abstract. Recent studies have suggested the potential importance of abiotic degradation in arid ecosystems. In this study, the role of photo- and thermal degradation in ecosystem CO2 and CO exchange is assessed. A field experiment was performed in Italy using a FTIR-spectrometer coupled to a flux gradient system and to flux chambers. In a laboratory experiment, field samples were exposed to different temperatures and radiation intensities. No photodegradation-induced CO2 and CO fluxes were found in the field and in the laboratory study. In the laboratory, thermal degradation fluxes for CO2 and CO have been observed. In the field, CO uptake and emission have been observed and are proposed to be a result of biological uptake and abiotic thermal degradation-production. We suggest that previous studies, studying direct photodegradation, have overestimated the role of photodegradation and observed fluxes might be due to thermal degradation, which is an indirect effect of radiation. The potential importance of abiotic decompostion in the form of thermal degradation, especially for arid regions, should be considered in future studies.