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Background of Carbon Dioxide Parameter Analysis
Carbon dioxide is the dominant end product of organic carbon degradation in almost all aquatic environments and its variation is often a measure of net ecosystem metabolism. The ratio of Total Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC) and Total Alkalinity (TAlk) is diagnostic of the biogeochemical processes involved. Therefore, in aquatic biogeochemical studies, it is desirable to measure parameters that define the carbon dioxide system. CO2 is also the most important greenhouse gas on Earth. Its fluxes across the air-water (oceans, rivers and lakes) interface are among the most important concerns in global change studies and are often a measure of the net ecosystem production/metabolism of the aquatic system.