An eddy covariance dataset of ecosystem carbon fluxes in a salt marsh in the Yellow River Delta (2012–2020)

Salt marshes are a representative type of "blue carbon" ecosystem, playing a vital role in mitigating global climate change through their carbon sink capacity. Long-term and continuous carbon flux observations are crucial for accurately assessing the carbon sink potential of salt marshes and predicting their responses under climate change conditions. However, the current lack of long-term monitoring data for these ecosystems limits comprehensive investigations into their carbon sink function, highlighting the urgent need for high-quality, long-term datasets. Since 2011, the Yellow River Delta Ecological Research Station of Coastal Wetland, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has conducted continuous monitoring of carbon exchange processes in the salt marsh using the eddy covariance technique. Over the years, a substantial amount of high-quality carbon flux data has been collected. This dataset compiles observations from 2012 to 2020 and provides data products at both half-hourly and daily temporal resolutions. It includes net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE), gross primary productivity (GPP), and ecosystem respiration (ER). The dataset offers reliable support for related research and contributes to a deeper understanding of carbon exchange processes in salt marshes.