28 APR 2020 (TUE) 11:45-12:15

Environmental Conditions and Greenhouse Gas Emission from a Reservoir in Hong Kong

Via Zoom

Mr Chan Chun Ngai PhD Student, Department of Geography, HKU

Abstract:

Inland water systems, including both lentic and lotic systems, are the active reactors that could store, transport and process terrestrial carbon. The biophysical and biogeochemical processes that occurred in these inland water systems govern and regulate the dynamics of the carbon cycle that take place, and ultimately exert impacts on the greenhouse gas emission. Small ponds, as well as headwater streams, have been established to be “hotspots” of carbon gas exchange and processes, yet the characterization of them is subject to considerable uncertainties owing to large temporal and spatial variabilities. In light of this, there is an increasing need to advance our understanding of the greenhouse gas emission of these small water systems amid the escalating climate change which is caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.

This research zeroes in on the greenhouse gas emission in Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, the first reservoir constructed in Hong Kong in the 19th century, initially targeted at providing clean potable water to the residents. The catchment area of the reservoir would also be an interest in the study. A broad range of field techniques and laboratory procedures have been adopted so as to characterize and quantify the greenhouse gas emission as well as the environmental conditions of the reservoir. The purposes of the study are: (1) study of the temporal and spatial variability of the greenhouse gas emission as well as the environmental variables in the reservoir with its catchment area, and (2) investigation of the potential variables that could account for the greenhouse gas emission occurred in the study site.