Dissolved carbon biogeochemistry and export in mangrove-dominated rivers of the Florida Everglades
David T. Ho1,Sara Ferrón1,Victor C. Engel2,a,William T. Anderson3,4,Peter K. Swart5,René M. Price3,4,and Leticia Barbero6David T. Ho et al. David T. Ho1,Sara Ferrón1,Victor C. Engel2,a,William T. Anderson3,4,Peter K. Swart5,René M. Price3,4,and Leticia Barbero6
1Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii
96822, USA
2South Florida Natural Resources Center, Everglades National Park,
Homestead, Florida 33030, USA
3Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International
University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA
4Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University,
Miami, Florida 33199, USA
5Department of Marine Geosciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149, USA
6NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Miami,
Florida 33149, USA
anow at: U.S. Forest Service, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, USA
1Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii
96822, USA
2South Florida Natural Resources Center, Everglades National Park,
Homestead, Florida 33030, USA
3Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International
University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA
4Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University,
Miami, Florida 33199, USA
5Department of Marine Geosciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149, USA
6NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Miami,
Florida 33149, USA
anow at: U.S. Forest Service, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, USA
Received: 10 Jan 2017 – Discussion started: 11 Jan 2017 – Revised: 08 Apr 2017 – Accepted: 19 Apr 2017 – Published: 17 May 2017
Abstract. The Shark and Harney rivers, located on the southwest coast of Florida, USA, originate in the freshwater, karstic marshes of the Everglades and flow through the largest contiguous mangrove forest in North America. In November 2010 and 2011, dissolved carbon source–sink dynamics was examined in these rivers during SF6 tracer release experiments. Approximately 80 % of the total dissolved carbon flux out of the Shark and Harney rivers during these experiments was in the form of inorganic carbon, either via air–water CO2 exchange or longitudinal flux of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to the coastal ocean. Between 42 and 48 % of the total mangrove-derived DIC flux into the rivers was emitted to the atmosphere, with the remaining being discharged to the coastal ocean. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) represented ca. 10 % of the total mangrove-derived dissolved carbon flux from the forests to the rivers. The sum of mangrove-derived DIC and DOC export from the forest to these rivers was estimated to be at least 18.9 to 24.5 mmol m−2 d−1, a rate lower than other independent estimates from Shark River and from other mangrove forests. Results from these experiments also suggest that in Shark and Harney rivers, mangrove contribution to the estuarine flux of dissolved carbon to the ocean is less than 10 %.
Mangroves take up more carbon (C) than any other ecosystems, but > 50 % of this C is missing. The forest loses organic C to the surrounding waters, which might be rapidly transformed into inorganic C. Previous studies focused on organic C could have missed this important sink. We examined the sources and sinks of dissolved C in two mangrove estuaries, and confirmed that ca. 90 % of the total dissolved mangrove-derived C flux flowing out of the estuaries was inorganic C.
Mangroves take up more carbon (C) than any other ecosystems, but 50 % of this C is missing. The...