ORCID
- Huang, Rong: 0000-0002-6061-9329
- Borthwick, Alistair: 0000-0001-6053-7764
Abstract
Dams are often regarded as greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters. However, our study indicated that the world's largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), has caused significant drops in annual average emissions of CO2, CH4 and N2O over 4300 km along the Yangtze River, accompanied by remarkable reductions in the annual export of CO2 (79%), CH4 (50%) and N2O (9%) to the sea. Since the commencement of its operation in 2003, the TGD has altered the carbonate equilibrium in the reservoir area, enhanced methanogenesis in the upstream, and restrained methanogenesis and denitrification via modifying anoxic habitats through long-distance scouring in the downstream. These findings suggest that ‘large-dam effects’ are far beyond our previous understanding spatiotemporally, which highlights the fundamental importance of whole-system budgeting of GHGs under the profound impacts of huge dams.
DOI
10.1093/nsr/nwac013
Publication Date
2022-06-04
Publication Title
National Science Review
Volume
9
Issue
6
ISSN
2095-5138
Embargo Period
2023-09-06
Organisational Unit
School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics
Recommended Citation
Ni, J., Wang, H., Ma, T., Huang, R., Ciais, P., Li, Z., Yue, Y., Chen, J., Li, B., Wang, Y., Zheng, M., Wang, T., & Borthwick, A. (2022) 'Three Gorges Dam: friend or foe of riverine greenhouse gases?', National Science Review, 9(6). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwac013
