Articles | Volume 11, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6683-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6683-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
04 Dec 2014
Research article |
| 04 Dec 2014
Comparative organic geochemistry of Indian margin (Arabian Sea) sediments: estuary to continental slope
G. Cowie
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
S. Mowbray
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
S. Kurian
National Institute of Oceanography (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
A. Sarkar
National Institute of Oceanography (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
C. White
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
School of Geography, University of Leeds, University Road, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
A. Anderson
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
B. Vergnaud
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
G. Johnstone
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
S. Brear
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
C. Woulds
School of Geography, University of Leeds, University Road, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
S. W. A. Naqvi
National Institute of Oceanography (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
H. Kitazato
Institute of Biogeosciences, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2–15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
Related authors
L. A. Levin, A. L. McGregor, G. F. Mendoza, C. Woulds, P. Cross, U. Witte, A. J. Gooday, G. Cowie, and H. Kitazato
Biogeosciences, 10, 7161–7177, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-7161-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-7161-2013, 2013
Clare Woulds, Dick Van Oevelen, Silvia Hidalgo-Martinez, and Filip Meysman
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3676, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3676, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
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Marine sediments are locations of carbon storage. Only some deposited carbon remains stored, while most is lost as CO2 through respiration by organisms. We report experiments to investigate the organisms responsible for marine sediment respiration. Larger organisms and microbes contributed equally to respiration. The groups competed to feed on fresh carbon. Respiration of older carbon was stimulated when both groups were present, thus burrowing activities allow microbial activity to increase.
Swaleha Inamdar, Liselotte Tinel, Rosie Chance, Lucy J. Carpenter, Prabhakaran Sabu, Racheal Chacko, Sarat C. Tripathy, Anvita U. Kerkar, Alok K. Sinha, Parli Venkateswaran Bhaskar, Amit Sarkar, Rajdeep Roy, Tomás Sherwen, Carlos Cuevas, Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Kirpa Ram, and Anoop S. Mahajan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 12093–12114, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-12093-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-12093-2020, 2020
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Iodine chemistry is generating a lot of interest because of its impacts on the oxidising capacity of the marine boundary and depletion of ozone. However, one of the challenges has been predicting the right levels of iodine in the models, which depend on parameterisations for emissions from the sea surface. This paper discusses the different parameterisations available and compares them with observations, showing that our current knowledge is still insufficient, especially on a regional scale.
Clare Woulds, James B. Bell, Adrian G. Glover, Steven Bouillon, and Louise S. Brown
Biogeosciences, 17, 1–12, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1-2020, 2020
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Sedimented hydrothermal vents occur where heated, mineral-rich (hydrothermal) water seeps through seafloor sediments. They host chemosynthetic microbes, which use chemical energy to fix dissolved carbon dioxide into sugars (chemosynthesis). We conducted carbon tracing experiments, and observed chemosynthesis at both vent and non-vent sites. Thus, chemosynthesis occurred over a much larger area than expected, suggesting it is more widespread than previously thought.
James B. Bell, William D. K. Reid, David A. Pearce, Adrian G. Glover, Christopher J. Sweeting, Jason Newton, and Clare Woulds
Biogeosciences, 14, 5705–5725, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5705-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5705-2017, 2017
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Sedimented hydrothermal vents are among the least studied deep-sea ecosystems. We compared food webs between hydrothermally active and off-vent areas of the Bransfield Strait, Antarctica. Invertebrates showed diverse feeding strategies and occupied different positions in food webs between vent and non-vent sites. Feeding and microbial diversity was lowest at vent sites. Chemosynthetic organic matter was a minimal food source at both vents and non-vents.
Karoliina A. Koho, Lennart J. de Nooijer, Christophe Fontanier, Takashi Toyofuku, Kazumasa Oguri, Hiroshi Kitazato, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 14, 3067–3082, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3067-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3067-2017, 2017
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Here we report Mn / Ca ratios in living benthic foraminifera from the NE Japan margin. The results show that the Mn incorporation directly reflects the environment where the foraminifera calcify. Foraminifera that live deeper in sediment, under greater redox stress, generally incorporate more Mn into their carbonate skeletons. As such, foraminifera living close to the Mn reduction zone in sediment appear promising tools for paleoceanographic reconstructions of sedimentary redox conditions.
Parvathi Vallivattathillam, Suresh Iyyappan, Matthieu Lengaigne, Christian Ethé, Jérôme Vialard, Marina Levy, Neetu Suresh, Olivier Aumont, Laure Resplandy, Hema Naik, and Wajih Naqvi
Biogeosciences, 14, 1541–1559, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1541-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1541-2017, 2017
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During late boreal summer and fall, the west coast of India (WCI) experiences hypoxia, which turns into anoxia during some years. We analyze a coupled physical–biogeochemical simulation over the 1960–2012 period to investigate the physical processes influencing oxycline interannual variability off the WCI. We show that fall WCI oxycline fluctuations are strongly related to Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), with positive IODs preventing anoxia, while negative IODs do not necessarily result in anoxia.
Pratirupa Bardhan, Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi, Supriya G. Karapurkar, Damodar M. Shenoy, Siby Kurian, and Hema Naik
Biogeosciences, 14, 767–779, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-767-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-767-2017, 2017
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Although India has the third highest number of dams globally, there is a knowledge gap on the cycling of bioessential elements in such systems. This study (first of its kind) investigates the stable isotopes of nitrate and particulate organic matter in a pristine Indian reservoir. Nitrogen transformations in the anaerobic bottom waters were isotopically characterised. Overall, solar intensity, water depth and redox conditions are the major controls on the biogeochemical cycling in this system.
James B. Bell, William D. K. Reid, David A. Pearce, Adrian G. Glover, Christopher J. Sweeting, Jason Newton, and Clare Woulds
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2016-318, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2016-318, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Areas of the deep-seafloor where hydrothermal fluid flows through sediment are amongst the least studied environments on the planet. We studied the faunal and microbial food webs at one such system in the Southern Ocean and found evidence of a wide range of organic matter fixation pathways, both at vent sites and non-vent sites. Although faunal uptake of in situ food production was low, it was much wider spread than previously realised, raising important questions about seafloor food webs.
Clare Woulds, Steven Bouillon, Gregory L. Cowie, Emily Drake, Jack J. Middelburg, and Ursula Witte
Biogeosciences, 13, 4343–4357, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4343-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4343-2016, 2016
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Estuarine sediments are important locations for carbon cycling and burial. We used tracer experiments to investigate how site conditions affect the way in which seafloor biological communities cycle carbon. We showed that while total respiration rates are primarily determined by temperature, total carbon processing by the biological community is strongly related to
its biomass. Further, we saw a distinct pattern of carbon cycling in sandy sediment, in which uptake by bacteria dominates.
K. E. Larkin, A. J. Gooday, C. Woulds, R. M. Jeffreys, M. Schwartz, G. Cowie, C. Whitcraft, L. Levin, J. R. Dick, and D. W. Pond
Biogeosciences, 11, 3729–3738, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-3729-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-3729-2014, 2014
A. K. Pratihary, S. W. A. Naqvi, G. Narvenkar, S. Kurian, H. Naik, R. Naik, and B. R. Manjunatha
Biogeosciences, 11, 2771–2791, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2771-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2771-2014, 2014
K. Banse, S. W. A. Naqvi, P. V. Narvekar, J. R. Postel, and D. A. Jayakumar
Biogeosciences, 11, 2237–2261, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2237-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2237-2014, 2014
L. A. Levin, A. L. McGregor, G. F. Mendoza, C. Woulds, P. Cross, U. Witte, A. J. Gooday, G. Cowie, and H. Kitazato
Biogeosciences, 10, 7161–7177, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-7161-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-7161-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Biogeochemistry: Coastal Ocean
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Evaluating ocean alkalinity enhancement as a carbon dioxide removal strategy in the North Sea
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Amplified bottom water acidification rates on the Bering Sea shelf from 1970–2022
Depositional controls and budget of organic carbon burial in fine-grained sediments of the North Sea – the Helgoland Mud Area as a natural laboratory
Effects of submarine groundwater on nutrient concentration and primary production in a deep bay of the Japan Sea
The bacteria–protist link as a main route of dissolved organic matter across contrasting productivity areas on the Patagonian Shelf
Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) does not cause cellular stress in a phytoplankton community of the subtropical Atlantic Ocean
Reviews and syntheses: On increasing hypoxia in eastern boundary upwelling systems – zooplankton under metabolic stress
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Riverine nutrient impact on global ocean nitrogen cycle feedbacks and marine primary production in an Earth system model
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Multi-model comparison of trends and controls of near-bed oxygen concentration on the northwest European continental shelf under climate change
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Vertical mixing alleviates autumnal oxygen deficiency in the central North Sea
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Seasonality and response of ocean acidification and hypoxia to major environmental anomalies in the southern Salish Sea, North America (2014–2018)
Oceanographic processes driving low-oxygen conditions inside Patagonian fjords
Above- and belowground plant mercury dynamics in a salt marsh estuary in Massachusetts, USA
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Deep S. Banerjee and Jozef Skákala
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Nitrate is a crucial nutrient in oceans, whose excess can trigger uncontrolled algae growth that damages marine ecosystems. We used machine learning to generate skilled, gap-free, bi-decadal surface nitrate data from sparse observations, revealing areas on the North-West European Shelf that are more vulnerable to excess algae growth if nutrient pollution occurs. We also looked at bi-decadal trends in coastal nitrate and the impact of winter nitrate on spring phytoplankton blooms.
Feifei Liu, Ute Daewel, Jan Kossack, Kubilay Timur Demir, Helmuth Thomas, and Corinna Schrum
Biogeosciences, 22, 3699–3719, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3699-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3699-2025, 2025
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Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) boosts oceanic CO₂ absorption, offering a climate solution. Using a regional model, we examined OAE in the North Sea, revealing that shallow coastal areas achieve higher CO₂ uptake than offshore where alkalinity is more susceptible to deep-ocean loss. Long-term carbon storage is limited, and pH shifts vary by location. Our findings guide OAE deployment to optimize carbon removal while minimizing ecological effects, supporting global climate mitigation efforts.
Vlad A. Macovei, Louise C. V. Rewrie, Rüdiger Röttgers, and Yoana G. Voynova
Biogeosciences, 22, 3375–3396, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3375-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3375-2025, 2025
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We found that biogeochemical variability at the land–sea interface (LSI) in two major temperate estuaries is modulated by the 14 d spring–neap tidal cycle, with large effects on dissolved inorganic and organic carbon concentrations and distribution. As this effect increases the strength of the carbon source to the atmosphere by up to 74 % during spring tide, it should be accounted for in regional models, which aim to resolve biogeochemical processing at the LSI.
David Curbelo-Hernández, David González-Santana, Aridane G. González, J. Magdalena Santana-Casiano, and Melchor González-Dávila
Biogeosciences, 22, 3329–3356, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3329-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3329-2025, 2025
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This study offers a unique high-resolution dataset (2019–2024) on surface physicochemical properties in the western Mediterranean Sea. It reveals accelerated surface warming, significantly altering CO2 levels and pH. Currently a net CO2 sink, the region may become a CO2 source by 2030 due to weakening in-gassing. The research highlights the value of VOS (volunteer observing ship) lines for monitoring climate impacts and emphasizes the need for ongoing observations to enhance long-term trend accuracy and future projections.
Darren J. Pilcher, Jessica N. Cross, Natalie Monacci, Linquan Mu, Kelly A. Kearney, Albert J. Hermann, and Wei Cheng
Biogeosciences, 22, 3103–3125, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3103-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3103-2025, 2025
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The Bering Sea shelf is a highly productive marine ecosystem that is vulnerable to ocean acidification. We use a computational model to simulate the carbon cycle and acidification rates from 1970–2022. The results suggest that bottom water acidification rates are more than twice as great as surface rates. Bottom waters are also naturally more acidic. Thus these waters will pass key thresholds known to negatively impact marine organisms, such as red king crab, much sooner than surface waters.
Daniel Müller, Bo Liu, Walter Geibert, Moritz Holtappels, Lasse Sander, Elda Miramontes, Heidi Taubner, Susann Henkel, Kai-Uwe Hinrichs, Denise Bethke, Ingrid Dohrmann, and Sabine Kasten
Biogeosciences, 22, 2541–2567, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2541-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2541-2025, 2025
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Coastal and shelf sediments are the most important sinks for organic carbon (OC) on Earth. We produced a new high-resolution sediment and porewater data set from the Helgoland Mud Area (HMA), North Sea, to determine which depositional factors control the preservation of OC. The burial efficiency is highest in an area of high sedimentation and terrigenous OC. The HMA covers 0.09 % of the North Sea but accounts for 0.76 % of its OC accumulation, highlighting the importance of the depocentre.
Menghong Dong, Xinyu Guo, Takuya Matsuura, Taichi Tebakari, and Jing Zhang
Biogeosciences, 22, 2383–2402, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2383-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2383-2025, 2025
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Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), a common coastal hydrological process that involves submarine inflow of groundwater into the sea, is associated with a large nutrient load. To clarify the distribution of SGD-derived nutrients after release at the bottom of the sea and their contribution to phytoplankton growth in the marine ecosystem, we modeled the SGD process in Toyama Bay using a specialized computer code that can distinguish SGD-derived nutrients from nutrients from other sources.
M. Celeste López-Abbate, John E. Garzón-Cardona, Ricardo Silva, Juan-Carlos Molinero, Laura A. Ruiz-Etcheverry, Ana M. Martínez, Azul S. Gilabert, and Rubén J. Lara
Biogeosciences, 22, 2309–2325, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2309-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2309-2025, 2025
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This study explores how microbial dynamics influence the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool in the Patagonian Shelf. Despite high phytoplankton biomass, selective grazing on fast-growing bacteria led to DOM accumulation, likely due to reduced DOM-consuming bacteria and added egestion compounds. Experiments showed that bacteria not only acted as a carbon sink through mineralization but also transferred assimilated carbon dioxide (CO2) to higher trophic levels.
Librada Ramírez, Leonardo J. Pozzo-Pirotta, Aja Trebec, Víctor Manzanares-Vázquez, José L. Díez, Javier Arístegui, Ulf Riebesell, Stephen D. Archer, and María Segovia
Biogeosciences, 22, 1865–1886, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1865-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1865-2025, 2025
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We studied the potential effects of increasing ocean alkalinity on a natural plankton community in subtropical waters of the Atlantic near Gran Canaria, Spain. Alkalinity is the capacity of water to resist acidification, and plankton are usually microscopic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton), often less than 2.5 cm in length. This study suggests that increasing ocean alkalinity did not have a significant negative impact on the plankton community studied.
Leissing Frederick, Mauricio A. Urbina, and Ruben Escribano
Biogeosciences, 22, 1839–1852, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1839-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1839-2025, 2025
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Evidence shows that due to global warming, zooplankton inhabiting the coastal upwelling zone are exposed to increasing hypoxia affecting their physiology, metabolism, and population dynamics. The adaptive responses of zooplankton to cope with mild/severe hypoxia may depend on trade-offs with other metabolic/energy demands, implying less energy for growth, feeding, and reproduction, with ecological consequences for the zooplankton population and the marine food web.
Riss M. Kell, Adam V. Subhas, Nicole L. Schanke, Lauren E. Lees, Rebecca J. Chmiel, Deepa Rao, Margaret M. Brisbin, Dawn M. Moran, Matthew R. McIlvin, Francesco Bolinesi, Olga Mangoni, Raffaella Casotti, Cecilia Balestra, Tristan Horner, Robert B. Dunbar, Andrew E. Allen, Giacomo R. DiTullio, and Mak A. Saito
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.11.05.565706, https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.11.05.565706, 2025
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Photosynthetic productivity is strongly influenced by water column nutrient availability. Despite the importance of zinc, definitive evidence for oceanic zinc limitation of photosynthesis has been scarce. We applied multiple biogeochemical measurements to a field site in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica, to demonstrate that the phytoplankton community was experiencing zinc limitation. This field evidence paves the way for future experimental studies to consider Zn as a limiting oceanic micronutrient.
Sören Iwe, Oliver Schmale, and Bernd Schneider
Biogeosciences, 22, 1767–1779, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1767-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1767-2025, 2025
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We present a novel method for quantifying N2 fixation by cyanobacteria, which is crucial in Baltic Sea eutrophication. Our Gas Equilibrium – Membrane-Inlet Mass Spectrometer (GE-MIMS), designed for operation on voluntary observing ships (VOSs), enables large-scale monitoring of surface water N2 depletion caused by N2 fixation. Laboratory tests confirm the device’s accuracy and precision, ensuring that it can complement current methods and contribute valuable data for better understanding N2 fixation in the Baltic Sea.
Caroline P. Slomp, Martijn Hermans, Niels A. G. M. van Helmond, Silke Severmann, James McManus, Marit R. van Erk, and Sairah Malkin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-817, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-817, 2025
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Cable bacteria couple oxidation of sulfide at depth in sediments with reduction of oxygen, nitrate or nitrite near the sediment surface, thereby preventing release of toxic hydrogen sulfide to the overlying water. We show evidence for a diversity of cable bacteria in sediments from hypoxic and anoxic basins along the continental margin of California and Mexico. Cable bacteria activity in this setting is likely periodic and dependent on the supply of organic matter and/or oxygen.
Jenna Alyson Lee, Joseph H. Vineis, Mathieu A. Poupon, Laure Resplandy, and Bess B. Ward
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-871, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-871, 2025
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Concurrent sampling of environmental parameters, productivity rates, photopigments, and DNA were used to analyze a 24–L estuarine diatom bloom microcosm. Biogeochemical data and an ecological model indicated that the bloom was terminated by grazing. Comparisons to previous studies revealed (1) additional community and diversity complexity using 18S amplicon vs. traditional pigment–based analyses, and (2) a potential global productivity–diversity relationship using 18S and carbon transport rates.
Yong-Woo Lee, Mi-Ok Park, Seong-Gil Kim, Tae-Hoon Kim, Yong Hwa Oh, Sang Heon Lee, and DongJoo Joung
Biogeosciences, 22, 675–690, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-675-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-675-2025, 2025
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Long-term pH variation in coastal waters along the Korean Peninsula was assessed for the first time, and it exhibited no significant pH change over an 11-year period. This contrasts with the ongoing pH decline in open oceans and other coastal areas. Analysis of environmental data showed that pH is mainly controlled by dissolved oxygen in bottom waters. This suggests that ocean warming could cause a pH decline in Korean coastal waters, affecting many fish and seaweed aquaculture operations.
Kadir Biçe, Tristen Myers Stewart, George G. Waldbusser, and Christof Meile
Biogeosciences, 22, 641–657, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-641-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-641-2025, 2025
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We studied the effect of addition of carbonate minerals on coastal sediments. We carried out laboratory experiments to quantify the dissolution kinetics and integrated these observations into a numerical model that describes biogeochemical cycling in surficial sediments. Using the model, we demonstrate the buffering effect of the mineral additions and their duration. We quantify the effect under different environmental conditions and assess the potential for increased atmospheric CO2 uptake.
Mariche Bandibas Natividad, Jian-Jhih Chen, Hsin-Yu Chou, Lan-Feng Fan, Yi-Le Shen, and Wen-Chen Chou
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4000, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4000, 2025
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Seagrass restoration serves as a nature-based solution for CO2 removal. We examined the organic carbon and carbonate dynamics of restored seagrasses (SG) and bare sediments (BS) using ex situ core incubations. SG exhibited higher net ecosystem metabolism compared to BS, while no significant difference was observed in net ecosystem calcification. Consequently, SG demonstrated a significantly enhanced overall capacity for carbon uptake.
Jessica L. Oberlander, Mackenzie E. Burke, Cat A. London, and Hugh L. MacIntyre
Biogeosciences, 22, 499–512, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-499-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-499-2025, 2025
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Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is a promising negative emission technology that results in the net sequestration of atmospheric carbon. In this paper, we assess the potential impact of OAE on phytoplankton through an analysis of prior studies and the effects of simulated OAE on photosynthetic competence. Our findings suggest that there may be little if any significant impact on most phytoplankton studied to date if OAE is conducted in well-flushed, nearshore environments.
Yue Nan, Zheng Chen, Bin Wang, Bo Liang, and Jiatang Hu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4013, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4013, 2025
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Human activities are changing the coastal water environment, but the role of suspended sediments in oxygen loss is not well understood. We used a model to compare dissolved oxygen levels and related factors in the 1990s and 2010s in the Pearl River Estuary. Reduced suspended sediments and increased pollution have expanded low-oxygen areas by 1.5 times. It highlights that declining suspended sediments increase hypoxia in estuaries, especially with rising nutrients, which need urgent attention.
Yayla Sezginer, Kate Schuler, Emily Speciale, Adrian Marchetti, Claire Till, Ralph Till, and Philippe Tortell
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3812, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3812, 2025
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We recorded three metrics of photosynthesis in the California Current. Real-time observations of microalgae physiology and productivity revealed signs of iron limitation where the continental shelf rapidly dropped off. Iron limitation influenced how efficiently light was absorbed and used for carbon fixation but did not appear to affect net photosynthetic oxygen production. Our results offer useful insights towards efforts to model carbon fixation rates from microalgae optical properties.
Laura Marín-Samper, Javier Arístegui, Nauzet Hernández-Hernández, and Ulf Riebesell
Biogeosciences, 21, 5707–5724, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5707-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5707-2024, 2024
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This study exposed a natural community to two non-CO2-equilibrated ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) deployments using different minerals. Adding alkalinity in this manner decreases dissolved CO2, essential for photosynthesis. While photosynthesis was not suppressed, bloom formation was mildly delayed, potentially impacting marine food webs. The study emphasizes the need for further research on OAE without prior equilibration and on its ecological implications.
Riss M. Kell, Rebecca J. Chmiel, Deepa Rao, Dawn M. Moran, Matthew R. McIlvin, Tristan J. Horner, Nicole L. Schanke, Ichiko Sugiyama, Robert B. Dunbar, Giacomo R. DiTullio, and Mak A. Saito
Biogeosciences, 21, 5685–5706, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5685-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5685-2024, 2024
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Despite interest in modeling the biogeochemical uptake and cycling of the trace metal zinc (Zn), measurements of Zn uptake in natural marine phytoplankton communities have not been conducted previously. To fill this gap, we employed a stable isotope uptake rate measurement method to quantify Zn uptake into natural phytoplankton assemblages within the Southern Ocean. Zn demand was high and rapid enough to depress the inventory of Zn available to phytoplankton on seasonal timescales.
Luisa Chiara Meiritz, Tim Rixen, Anja Karin van der Plas, Tarron Lamont, and Niko Lahajnar
Biogeosciences, 21, 5261–5276, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5261-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5261-2024, 2024
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Moored and drifting sediment trap experiments in the northern (nBUS) and southern (sBUS) Benguela Upwelling System showed that active carbon fluxes by vertically migrating zooplankton were about 3 times higher in the sBUS than in the nBUS. Despite these large variabilities, the mean passive particulate organic carbon (POC) fluxes were almost equal in the two subsystems. The more intense near-bottom oxygen minimum layer seems to lead to higher POC fluxes and accumulation rates in the nBUS.
Michael R. Roman, Andrew H. Altieri, Denise Breitburg, Erica M. Ferrer, Natalya D. Gallo, Shin-ichi Ito, Karin Limburg, Kenneth Rose, Moriaki Yasuhara, and Lisa A. Levin
Biogeosciences, 21, 4975–5004, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4975-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4975-2024, 2024
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Oxygen-depleted ocean waters have increased worldwide. In order to improve our understanding of the impacts of this oxygen loss on marine life it is essential that we develop reliable indicators that track the negative impacts of low oxygen. We review various indicators of low-oxygen stress for marine animals including their use, research needs, and application to confront the challenges of ocean oxygen loss.
Charlotte Eich, Mathijs van Manen, J. Scott P. McCain, Loay J. Jabre, Willem H. van de Poll, Jinyoung Jung, Sven B. E. H. Pont, Hung-An Tian, Indah Ardiningsih, Gert-Jan Reichart, Erin M. Bertrand, Corina P. D. Brussaard, and Rob Middag
Biogeosciences, 21, 4637–4663, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4637-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4637-2024, 2024
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Phytoplankton growth in the Southern Ocean (SO) is often limited by low iron (Fe) concentrations. Sea surface warming impacts Fe availability and can affect phytoplankton growth. We used shipboard Fe clean incubations to test how changes in Fe and temperature affect SO phytoplankton. Their abundances usually increased with Fe addition and temperature increase, with Fe being the major factor. These findings imply potential shifts in ecosystem structure, impacting food webs and elemental cycling.
Miriam Tivig, David P. Keller, and Andreas Oschlies
Biogeosciences, 21, 4469–4493, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4469-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4469-2024, 2024
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Marine biological production is highly dependent on the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus. Rivers are the main source of phosphorus to the oceans but poorly represented in global model oceans. We include dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus from river export in a global model ocean and find that the addition of riverine phosphorus affects marine biology on millennial timescales more than riverine nitrogen alone. Globally, riverine phosphorus input increases primary production rates.
Esdoorn Willcox, Marcos Lemes, Thomas Juul-Pedersen, Mikael Kristian Sejr, Johnna Marchiano Holding, and Søren Rysgaard
Biogeosciences, 21, 4037–4050, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4037-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4037-2024, 2024
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In this work, we measured the chemistry of seawater from samples obtained from different depths and locations off the east coast of the Northeast Greenland National Park to determine what is influencing concentrations of dissolved CO2. Historically, the region has always been thought to take up CO2 from the atmosphere, but we show that it is possible for the region to become a source in late summer. We discuss the variables that may be related to such changes.
Lennart Thomas Bach, Aaron James Ferderer, Julie LaRoche, and Kai Georg Schulz
Biogeosciences, 21, 3665–3676, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3665-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3665-2024, 2024
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Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is an emerging marine CO2 removal method, but its environmental effects are insufficiently understood. The OAE Pelagic Impact Intercomparison Project (OAEPIIP) provides funding for a standardized and globally replicated microcosm experiment to study the effects of OAE on plankton communities. Here, we provide a detailed manual for the OAEPIIP experiment. We expect OAEPIIP to help build scientific consensus on the effects of OAE on plankton.
Marlena Szeligowska, Déborah Benkort, Anna Przyborska, Mateusz Moskalik, Bernabé Moreno, Emilia Trudnowska, and Katarzyna Błachowiak-Samołyk
Biogeosciences, 21, 3617–3639, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3617-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3617-2024, 2024
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The European Arctic is experiencing rapid regional warming, causing glaciers that terminate in the sea to retreat onto land. Due to this process, the area of a well-studied fjord, Hornsund, has increased by around 100 km2 (40%) since 1976. Combining satellite and in situ data with a mathematical model, we estimated that, despite some negative consequences of glacial meltwater release, such emerging coastal waters could mitigate climate change by increasing carbon uptake and storage by sediments.
Mallory C. Ringham, Nathan Hirtle, Cody Shaw, Xi Lu, Julian Herndon, Brendan R. Carter, and Matthew D. Eisaman
Biogeosciences, 21, 3551–3570, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3551-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3551-2024, 2024
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Ocean alkalinity enhancement leverages the large surface area and carbon storage capacity of the oceans to store atmospheric CO2 as dissolved bicarbonate. We monitored CO2 uptake in seawater treated with NaOH to establish operational boundaries for carbon removal experiments. Results show that CO2 equilibration occurred on the order of weeks to months, was consistent with values expected from equilibration calculations, and was limited by mineral precipitation at high pH and CaCO3 saturation.
Riel Carlo O. Ingeniero, Gesa Schulz, and Hermann W. Bange
Biogeosciences, 21, 3425–3440, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3425-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3425-2024, 2024
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Our research is the first to measure dissolved NO concentrations in temperate estuarine waters, providing insights into its distribution under varying conditions and enhancing our understanding of its production processes. Dissolved NO was supersaturated in the Elbe Estuary, indicating that it is a source of atmospheric NO. The observed distribution of dissolved NO most likely resulted from nitrification.
Weiyi Tang, Jeff Talbott, Timothy Jones, and Bess B. Ward
Biogeosciences, 21, 3239–3250, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3239-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3239-2024, 2024
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Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are known to be hotspots of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the impact of WWTPs on the emission of the greenhouse gas N2O in downstream aquatic environments is less constrained. We found spatially and temporally variable but overall higher N2O concentrations and fluxes in waters downstream of WWTPs, pointing to the need for efficient N2O removal in addition to the treatment of nitrogen in WWTPs.
Amanda Y. L. Cheong, Kogila Vani Annammala, Ee Ling Yong, Yongli Zhou, Robert S. Nichols, and Patrick Martin
Biogeosciences, 21, 2955–2971, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2955-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2955-2024, 2024
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We measured nutrients and dissolved organic matter for 1 year in a eutrophic tropical estuary to understand their sources and cycling. Our data show that the dissolved organic matter originates partly from land and partly from microbial processes in the water. Internal recycling is likely important for maintaining high nutrient concentrations, and we found that there is often excess nitrogen compared to silicon and phosphorus. Our data help to explain how eutrophication persists in this system.
Aaron Ferderer, Kai G. Schulz, Ulf Riebesell, Kirralee G. Baker, Zanna Chase, and Lennart T. Bach
Biogeosciences, 21, 2777–2794, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2777-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2777-2024, 2024
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Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is a promising method of atmospheric carbon removal; however, its ecological impacts remain largely unknown. We assessed the effects of simulated silicate- and calcium-based mineral OAE on diatom silicification. We found that increased silicate concentrations from silicate-based OAE increased diatom silicification. In contrast, the enhancement of alkalinity had no effect on community silicification and minimal effects on the silicification of different genera.
David González-Santana, María Segovia, Melchor González-Dávila, Librada Ramírez, Aridane G. González, Leonardo J. Pozzo-Pirotta, Veronica Arnone, Victor Vázquez, Ulf Riebesell, and J. Magdalena Santana-Casiano
Biogeosciences, 21, 2705–2715, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2705-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2705-2024, 2024
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In a recent experiment off the coast of Gran Canaria (Spain), scientists explored a method called ocean alkalinization enhancement (OAE), where carbonate minerals were added to seawater. This process changed the levels of certain ions in the water, affecting its pH and buffering capacity. The researchers were particularly interested in how this could impact the levels of essential trace metals in the water.
Lucas Porz, Wenyan Zhang, Nils Christiansen, Jan Kossack, Ute Daewel, and Corinna Schrum
Biogeosciences, 21, 2547–2570, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2547-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2547-2024, 2024
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Seafloor sediments store a large amount of carbon, helping to naturally regulate Earth's climate. If disturbed, some sediment particles can turn into CO2, but this effect is not well understood. Using computer simulations, we found that bottom-contacting fishing gears release about 1 million tons of CO2 per year in the North Sea, one of the most heavily fished regions globally. We show how protecting certain areas could reduce these emissions while also benefitting seafloor-living animals.
Jiaying A. Guo, Robert F. Strzepek, Kerrie M. Swadling, Ashley T. Townsend, and Lennart T. Bach
Biogeosciences, 21, 2335–2354, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2335-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2335-2024, 2024
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Ocean alkalinity enhancement aims to increase atmospheric CO2 sequestration by adding alkaline materials to the ocean. We assessed the environmental effects of olivine and steel slag powder on coastal plankton. Overall, slag is more efficient than olivine in releasing total alkalinity and, thus, in its ability to sequester CO2. Slag also had less environmental effect on the enclosed plankton communities when considering its higher CO2 removal potential based on this 3-week experiment.
Giovanni Galli, Sarah Wakelin, James Harle, Jason Holt, and Yuri Artioli
Biogeosciences, 21, 2143–2158, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2143-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2143-2024, 2024
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This work shows that, under a high-emission scenario, oxygen concentration in deep water of parts of the North Sea and Celtic Sea can become critically low (hypoxia) towards the end of this century. The extent and frequency of hypoxia depends on the intensity of climate change projected by different climate models. This is the result of a complex combination of factors like warming, increase in stratification, changes in the currents and changes in biological processes.
Sandy E. Tenorio and Laura Farías
Biogeosciences, 21, 2029–2050, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2029-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2029-2024, 2024
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Time series studies show that CH4 is highly dynamic on the coastal ocean surface and planktonic communities are linked to CH4 accumulation, as found in coastal upwelling off Chile. We have identified the crucial role of picoplankton (> 3 µm) in CH4 recycling, especially with the addition of methylated substrates (trimethylamine and methylphosphonic acid) during upwelling and non-upwelling periods. These insights improve understanding of surface ocean CH4 recycling, aiding CH4 emission estimates.
Charlotte A. J. Williams, Tom Hull, Jan Kaiser, Claire Mahaffey, Naomi Greenwood, Matthew Toberman, and Matthew R. Palmer
Biogeosciences, 21, 1961–1971, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1961-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1961-2024, 2024
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Oxygen (O2) is a key indicator of ocean health. The risk of O2 loss in the productive coastal/continental slope regions is increasing. Autonomous underwater vehicles equipped with O2 optodes provide lots of data but have problems resolving strong vertical O2 changes. Here we show how to overcome this and calculate how much O2 is supplied to the low-O2 bottom waters via mixing. Bursts in mixing supply nearly all of the O2 to bottom waters in autumn, stopping them reaching ecologically low levels.
Sabine Schmidt and Ibrahima Iris Diallo
Biogeosciences, 21, 1785–1800, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1785-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1785-2024, 2024
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Along the French coast facing the Bay of Biscay, the large Gironde and Loire estuaries suffer from hypoxia. This prompted a study of the small Charente estuary located between them. This work reveals a minimum oxygen zone in the Charente estuary, which extends for about 25 km. Temperature is the main factor controlling the hypoxia. This calls for the monitoring of small turbid macrotidal estuaries that are vulnerable to hypoxia, a risk expected to increase with global warming.
Simone R. Alin, Jan A. Newton, Richard A. Feely, Samantha Siedlecki, and Dana Greeley
Biogeosciences, 21, 1639–1673, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1639-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1639-2024, 2024
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We provide a new multi-stressor data product that allows us to characterize the seasonality of temperature, O2, and CO2 in the southern Salish Sea and delivers insights into the impacts of major marine heatwave and precipitation anomalies on regional ocean acidification and hypoxia. We also describe the present-day frequencies of temperature, O2, and ocean acidification conditions that cross thresholds of sensitive regional species that are economically or ecologically important.
Pamela Linford, Iván Pérez-Santos, Paulina Montero, Patricio A. Díaz, Claudia Aracena, Elías Pinilla, Facundo Barrera, Manuel Castillo, Aida Alvera-Azcárate, Mónica Alvarado, Gabriel Soto, Cécile Pujol, Camila Schwerter, Sara Arenas-Uribe, Pilar Navarro, Guido Mancilla-Gutiérrez, Robinson Altamirano, Javiera San Martín, and Camila Soto-Riquelme
Biogeosciences, 21, 1433–1459, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1433-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1433-2024, 2024
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The Patagonian fjords comprise a world region where low-oxygen water and hypoxia conditions are observed. An in situ dataset was used to quantify the mechanism involved in the presence of these conditions in northern Patagonian fjords. Water mass analysis confirmed the contribution of Equatorial Subsurface Water in the advection of the low-oxygen water, and hypoxic conditions occurred when the community respiration rate exceeded the gross primary production.
Ting Wang, Buyun Du, Inke Forbrich, Jun Zhou, Joshua Polen, Elsie M. Sunderland, Prentiss H. Balcom, Celia Chen, and Daniel Obrist
Biogeosciences, 21, 1461–1476, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1461-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1461-2024, 2024
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The strong seasonal increases of Hg in aboveground biomass during the growing season and the lack of changes observed after senescence in this salt marsh ecosystem suggest physiologically controlled Hg uptake pathways. The Hg sources found in marsh aboveground tissues originate from a mix of sources, unlike terrestrial ecosystems, where atmospheric GEM is the main source. Belowground plant tissues mostly take up Hg from soils. Overall, the salt marsh currently serves as a small net Hg sink.
Eleanor Simpson, Debby Ianson, Karen E. Kohfeld, Ana C. Franco, Paul A. Covert, Marty Davelaar, and Yves Perreault
Biogeosciences, 21, 1323–1353, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1323-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1323-2024, 2024
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Shellfish aquaculture operates in nearshore areas where data on ocean acidification parameters are limited. We show daily and seasonal variability in pH and saturation states of calcium carbonate at nearshore aquaculture sites in British Columbia, Canada, and determine the contributing drivers of this variability. We find that nearshore locations have greater variability than open waters and that the uptake of carbon by phytoplankton is the major driver of pH and saturation state variability.
S. Alejandra Castillo Cieza, Rachel H. R. Stanley, Pierre Marrec, Diana N. Fontaine, E. Taylor Crockford, Dennis J. McGillicuddy Jr., Arshia Mehta, Susanne Menden-Deuer, Emily E. Peacock, Tatiana A. Rynearson, Zoe O. Sandwith, Weifeng Zhang, and Heidi M. Sosik
Biogeosciences, 21, 1235–1257, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1235-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1235-2024, 2024
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The coastal ocean in the northeastern USA provides many services, including fisheries and habitats for threatened species. In summer 2019, a bloom occurred of a large unusual phytoplankton, the diatom Hemiaulus, with nitrogen-fixing symbionts. This led to vast changes in productivity and grazing rates in the ecosystem. This work shows that the emergence of one species can have profound effects on ecosystem function. Such changes may become more prevalent as the ocean warms due to climate change.
Claudine Hauri, Brita Irving, Sam Dupont, Rémi Pagés, Donna D. W. Hauser, and Seth L. Danielson
Biogeosciences, 21, 1135–1159, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1135-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1135-2024, 2024
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Arctic marine ecosystems are highly susceptible to impacts of climate change and ocean acidification. We present pH and pCO2 time series (2016–2020) from the Chukchi Ecosystem Observatory and analyze the drivers of the current conditions to get a better understanding of how climate change and ocean acidification could affect the ecological niches of organisms.
William Hiles, Lucy C. Miller, Craig Smeaton, and William E. N. Austin
Biogeosciences, 21, 929–948, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-929-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-929-2024, 2024
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Saltmarsh soils may help to limit the rate of climate change by storing carbon. To understand their impacts, they must be accurately mapped. We use drone data to estimate the size of three saltmarshes in NE Scotland. We find that drone imagery, combined with tidal data, can reliably inform our understanding of saltmarsh size. When compared with previous work using vegetation communities, we find that our most reliable new estimates of stored carbon are 15–20 % smaller than previously estimated.
De'Marcus Robinson, Anh L. D. Pham, David J. Yousavich, Felix Janssen, Frank Wenzhöfer, Eleanor C. Arrington, Kelsey M. Gosselin, Marco Sandoval-Belmar, Matthew Mar, David L. Valentine, Daniele Bianchi, and Tina Treude
Biogeosciences, 21, 773–788, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-773-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-773-2024, 2024
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The present study suggests that high release of ferrous iron from the seafloor of the oxygen-deficient Santa Barabara Basin (California) supports surface primary productivity, creating positive feedback on seafloor iron release by enhancing low-oxygen conditions in the basin.
David J. Yousavich, De'Marcus Robinson, Xuefeng Peng, Sebastian J. E. Krause, Frank Wenzhöfer, Felix Janssen, Na Liu, Jonathan Tarn, Franklin Kinnaman, David L. Valentine, and Tina Treude
Biogeosciences, 21, 789–809, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-789-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-789-2024, 2024
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Declining oxygen (O2) concentrations in coastal oceans can threaten people’s ways of life and food supplies. Here, we investigate how mats of bacteria that proliferate on the seafloor of the Santa Barbara Basin sustain and potentially worsen these O2 depletion events through their unique chemoautotrophic metabolism. Our study shows how changes in seafloor microbiology and geochemistry brought on by declining O2 concentrations can help these mats grow as well as how that growth affects the basin.
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