Articles | Volume 12, issue 22
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-6687-2015
© Author(s) 2015. 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-12-6687-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
25 Nov 2015
Research article |
| 25 Nov 2015
Efficiency and adaptability of the benthic methane filter at Quepos Slide cold seeps, offshore of Costa Rica
P. Steeb
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstrasse 1–3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
S. Krause
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstrasse 1–3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstrasse 1–3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
C. Hensen
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstrasse 1–3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
A. W. Dale
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstrasse 1–3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
M. Nuzzo
2IPMA, Marine Geology Department & Institute Dom Luiz, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
now at: Integrated Geochemical Interpretation Ltd, Bideford, UK
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstrasse 1–3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
Present address: University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Earth Planetary & Space Sciences and Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Morgan Reed Raven, Nitai Amiel, Dror L. Angel, James P. Barry, Thomas M. Blattmann, Laura Boicenco, Antoine Crémière, Natalya Evans, Nora Gallarotti, Sebastian Haas, Jan-Hendrik Hehemann, Pranay Lal, David Lordkipanidze, Tiia Luostarinen, Aaron M. Martinez, Allison J. Matzelle, Selma Menabit, Mihaela Muresan, Andreas Neumann, Jean-Daniel Paris, Christopher R. Pearce, Nick Reynard, Daniel L. Sanchez, Florence Schubotz, Violeta Slabakova, Adrian Stanica, Andrew K. Sweetman, Tina Treude, Yoana G. Voynova, and D. Nikolaos Zarokanellos
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6086, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6086, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
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In addition to reducing emissions, vast quantities of CO2 will need to be removed from the atmosphere to meet climate goals. One strategy known as Marine Anoxic Carbon Storage (MACS) would bury plant carbon for thousands of years in parts in the ocean that lack oxygen, where carbon preservation can be highly efficient. We evaluate the environmental and other impacts of hypothetical large-scale MACS deployment from an interdisciplinary, international perspective and present a research roadmap.
Astrid Hylén, Nils Ekeroth, Hannah Berk, Andy W. Dale, Mikhail Kononets, Wytze K. Lenstra, Aada Palo, Anders Tengberg, Sebastiaan J. van de Velde, Stefan Sommer, Caroline P. Slomp, and Per O. J. Hall
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 6423–6443, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6423-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6423-2025, 2025
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Phosphorus is an essential element for life and its cycling strongly impact primary production. Here, we present a dataset of sediment-water fluxes of dissolved inorganic phosphorus from the Baltic Sea, an area with a long history of eutrophication. The fluxes were measured in situ with three types of benthic chamber landers at 59 stations over 20 years. The data show clear spatial patterns and will be important for marine management and studies on mechanisms in benthic phosphorus cycling.
Pankan Linsy, Stefan Sommer, Jens Kallmeyer, Simone Bernsee, Florian Scholz, Habeeb Thanveer Kalapurakkal, and Andrew W. Dale
Biogeosciences, 22, 6727–6748, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-6727-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-6727-2025, 2025
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Bottom trawling is a fishing method that disturbs the seafloor and affects marine ecosystems. This study conducted experimental trawling and monitored biogeochemical changes over three weeks. Results showed reduced nutrient and alkalinity fluxes, decreased benthic carbon respiration, and disrupted biogeochemical processes. While the decline in alkalinity had only a minor effect on atmospheric CO2, the study highlights the lasting ecological impacts of bottom trawling.
Xuefeng Peng, David J. Yousavich, Annie Bourbonnais, Frank Wenzhöfer, Felix Janssen, Tina Treude, and David L. Valentine
Biogeosciences, 21, 3041–3052, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3041-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3041-2024, 2024
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Biologically available (fixed) nitrogen (N) is a limiting nutrient for life in the ocean. Under low-oxygen conditions, fixed N is either removed via denitrification or retained via dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA). Using in situ incubations in the Santa Barbara Basin, which undergoes seasonal anoxia, we found that benthic denitrification was the dominant nitrate reduction process, while nitrate availability and organic carbon content control the relative importance of DNRA.
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.
Matthew D. Eisaman, Sonja Geilert, Phil Renforth, Laura Bastianini, James Campbell, Andrew W. Dale, Spyros Foteinis, Patricia Grasse, Olivia Hawrot, Carolin R. Löscher, Greg H. Rau, and Jakob Rønning
State Planet, 2-oae2023, 3, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2-oae2023-3-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2-oae2023-3-2023, 2023
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Ocean-alkalinity-enhancement technologies refer to various methods and approaches aimed at increasing the alkalinity of seawater. This chapter explores technologies for increasing ocean alkalinity, including electrochemical-based approaches, ocean liming, accelerated weathering of limestone, hydrated carbonate addition, and coastal enhanced weathering, and suggests best practices in research and development.
Ulf Riebesell, Daniela Basso, Sonja Geilert, Andrew W. Dale, and Matthias Kreuzburg
State Planet, 2-oae2023, 6, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2-oae2023-6-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2-oae2023-6-2023, 2023
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Mesocosm experiments represent a highly valuable tool in determining the safe operating space of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) applications. By combining realism and biological complexity with controllability and replication, they provide an ideal OAE test bed and a critical stepping stone towards field applications. Mesocosm approaches can also be helpful in testing the efficacy, efficiency and permanence of OAE applications.
Sebastian J. E. Krause, Jiarui Liu, David J. Yousavich, DeMarcus Robinson, David W. Hoyt, Qianhui Qin, Frank Wenzhöfer, Felix Janssen, David L. Valentine, and Tina Treude
Biogeosciences, 20, 4377–4390, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4377-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4377-2023, 2023
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Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and hence it is important to understand its sources and sinks in the environment. Here we present new data from organic-rich surface sediments below an oxygen minimum zone off the coast of California (Santa Barbara Basin) demonstrating the simultaneous microbial production and consumption of methane, which appears to be an important process preventing the build-up of methane in these sediments and the emission into the water column and atmosphere.
Knut Ola Dølven, Bénédicte Ferré, Anna Silyakova, Pär Jansson, Peter Linke, and Manuel Moser
Ocean Sci., 18, 233–254, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-233-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-233-2022, 2022
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Natural sources of atmospheric methane need to be better described and quantified. We present time series from ocean observatories monitoring two seabed methane seep sites in the Arctic. Methane concentration varied considerably on short timescales and seasonal scales. Seeps persisted throughout the year, with increased potential for atmospheric release in winter due to water mixing. The results highlight and constrain uncertainties in current methane estimates from seabed methane seepage.
Gerd Krahmann, Damian L. Arévalo-Martínez, Andrew W. Dale, Marcus Dengler, Anja Engel, Nicolaas Glock, Patricia Grasse, Johannes Hahn, Helena Hauss, Mark Hopwood, Rainer Kiko, Alexandra Loginova, Carolin R. Löscher, Marie Maßmig, Alexandra-Sophie Roy, Renato Salvatteci, Stefan Sommer, Toste Tanhua, and Hela Mehrtens
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2020-308, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2020-308, 2021
Preprint withdrawn
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The project "Climate-Biogeochemistry Interactions in the Tropical Ocean" (SFB 754) was a multidisciplinary research project active from 2008 to 2019 aimed at a better understanding of the coupling between the tropical climate and ocean circulation and the ocean's oxygen and nutrient balance. On 34 research cruises, mainly in the Southeast Tropical Pacific and the Northeast Tropical Atlantic, 1071 physical, chemical and biological data sets were collected.
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Short summary
We combined field, laboratory (sediment-flow-through system) and numerical modeling work to investigate cold seep sediments at Quespos Slide, offshore of Costa Rica. The results demonstrated the efficiency of the benthic methane filter and provided an estimate for its response time (ca. 170 days) to changes in fluid fluxes.
We combined field, laboratory (sediment-flow-through system) and numerical modeling work to...
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