Interannual variability of net ecosystem carbon production and its climatic and biotic mechanism during 2005-2018 in a rain-fed maize ecosystem

The interannual variation (IAV) of net ecosystem carbon production (NEP) plays an important role in understanding the mechanisms of the carbon cycle in the agriculture ecosystem. In this study, the IAV of NEP, which were expressed as annual values and anomalies, and its climatic and biotic controls mechanism, were investigated based on an eddy covariance dataset of rain-fed spring maize during 2005–2018 in the northeast of China. The annual NEP was 270±115 g C myr . Annual values and anomalies of NEP were positively correlated with that of precipitation (PPT), gross ecosystem production (GEP) and daily maximum NEP (NEP). Annual anomalies of NEP were dominantly and positively controlled by the soil water content (SWC) through GEP and the soil temperature (Ts) through RE. In comparison, annual anomalies of NEP were dominantly and negatively controlled by summer VPD through the NEP, positively adjusted by spring precipitation and the effective accumulative temperature through the beginning date (BDOY) of the affecting carbon uptake period (CUP), and by autumn precipitation and leaf area index through the end date (EDOY) of the affecting CUP. Residues restrained the carbon release at the beginning of the year, and accelerated the carbon release at the end of the year. Our results hightlight that NEP might be more sensitive to the change of water condition (such as PPT, SWC and VPD) induced by the climate changes.