COFlüsse

COFlüsse is a framework used in environmental science to describe and analyze the flows of carbon through ecosystems. The term combines CO, standing for carbon, with Flüsse, meaning flows or rivers, to emphasize the movement of carbon among different components of the Earth system.

The concept focuses on major carbon pools and the fluxes that connect them. Key pools typically include the atmosphere, vegetation, soils, and aquatic systems, while fluxes cover processes such as photosynthesis, plant and microbial respiration, decomposition, soil organic matter turnover, and the transfer of carbon to rivers, lakes, and the oceans. COFlüsse also accounts for the time scales of these transfers, ranging from daily exchanges to long-term storage.

Methodologically, COFlüsse relies on mass-balance reasoning and compartmental modeling. It uses diverse data sources, including eddy covariance measurements, forest and soil carbon inventories, remote sensing, and riverine carbon measurements, to estimate flux magnitudes and storage changes. The approach aims to quantify net ecosystem carbon balance and to identify dominant pathways that control carbon gain or loss under varying environmental conditions.

Applications of the COFlüsse framework include refining climate projections, informing national or regional carbon budgets, and guiding land-use and restoration strategies. By highlighting how changes in land management, biodiversity, or disturbance regimes alter carbon flows, it supports policy and planning aimed at increasing carbon sequestration or reducing emissions.

Limitations involve uncertainties in measurements, spatial heterogeneity, and model assumptions about transfer processes. Ongoing research seeks to improve data integration, resolution, and cross-system comparability.

See also: Carbon cycle, Carbon budget, Ecosystem modeling, Flux measurement.