Preliminary biogeochemical investigations of small rivers in the Franconian Alb to lay foundations for detailed investigations of turnover and origin of high carbon in the Main River system

研究河流系统中的碳循环对于概述陆地生物圈和大气之间的相互作用非常重要。它们还可以量化流向更大河流系统和最终流向海洋的碳通量。这有助于限制陆地碳循环，而陆地碳循环又通过提供源和汇对大气二氧化碳产生强烈影响。河流的碳通量率也有助于为气候模式提供边界参数。在这方面，河流是重要的综合信息源，因为它们是陆地系统与海洋之间的关键环节。另一方面，大多数河流积极地以二氧化碳的形式向大气释放大量的碳。尽管如此，其来自土壤、地下水或河流内部周转的来源仍不明确。这些方面计划在弗朗哥尼亚海域小于12立方米s-1流量的小水系中进行调查。此类小河调查有望更好地量化过程和机制，包括地质、农业和城市对河流碳循环的影响。这项工作为开始对主要河流系统进行生物地球化学调查提供了机会，该系统是莱茵河的主要支流之一，也是欧洲的主要水道之一。它被置于国际背景下，允许比较在不同国家的其他河流系统的工作。

Investigations of the carbon cycle in river systems are important to outline interactions between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere. They also allow quantification of carbon fluxes to larger river systems and ultimately the ocean. This helps to constrain terrestrial carbon cycles that in turn have strong influences on the atmospheric CO2 through providing sources and sinks. Flux rates of carbon by rivers can also help to provide boundary parameters for climate models. In this context, rivers act as important integral information sources because they are key links between terrestrial systems and oceans. On the other hand, most rivers actively release considerable amounts of carbon to the atmosphere in the form of CO2. Nonetheless, its sources from soils, groundwater or river internal turnover are poorly defined. These aspects are planned to be investigated in small river systems of less than 12 m3 s-1 discharge in the Franconian Alb. Such small stream investigations holds promise to better quantify processes and mechanisms including geological, agricultural and urban influences on riverine carbon cycles. This work opens the opportunity to start biogeochemical investigations on the Main River System that is one of the major tributairies of the Rhine, one of the major waterways in Europe. It is placed in international context by allowing comparison to work on other river systems in various countries.