Articles | Volume 15, issue 10
Biogeosciences, 15, 3121–3131, 2018
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3121-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Biogeosciences, 15, 3121–3131, 2018
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3121-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
24 May 2018
Research article
| 24 May 2018
N and P as ultimate and proximate limiting nutrients in the northern Gulf of Mexico: implications for hypoxia reduction strategies
Katja Fennel and Arnaud Laurent
Related authors
Arnaud Laurent, Haiyan Zhang, and Katja Fennel
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2022-152, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2022-152, 2022
Preprint under review for BG
Short summary
Short summary
The Changjiang is the main terrestrial source of nutrients to the East China Sea (ECS). Nutrient delivery to the ECS has been increasing since the 1960s resulting in low oxygen (hypoxia) during phytoplankton decomposition in summer. River phosphorus (P) has increased less than nitrogen and therefore, despite the large nutrient delivery, phytoplankton growth can be limited by the lack of P. Here, we investigate this link between P limitation, phytoplankton production/decomposition and hypoxia.
Krysten Rutherford, Katja Fennel, Dariia Atamanchuk, Douglas Wallace, and Helmuth Thomas
Biogeosciences, 18, 6271–6286, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6271-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6271-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Using a regional model of the northwestern North Atlantic shelves in combination with a surface water time series and repeat transect observations, we investigate surface CO2 variability on the Scotian Shelf. The study highlights a strong seasonal cycle in shelf-wide pCO2 and spatial variability throughout the summer months driven by physical events. The simulated net flux of CO2 on the Scotian Shelf is out of the ocean, deviating from the global air–sea CO2 flux trend in continental shelves.
Bin Wang, Katja Fennel, and Liuqian Yu
Ocean Sci., 17, 1141–1156, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-1141-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-1141-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We demonstrate that even sparse BGC-Argo profiles can substantially improve biogeochemical prediction via a priori model tuning. By assimilating satellite surface chlorophyll and physical observations, subsurface distributions of physical properties and nutrients were improved immediately. The improvement of subsurface chlorophyll was modest initially but was greatly enhanced after adjusting the parameterization for light attenuation through further a priori tuning.
Thomas S. Bianchi, Madhur Anand, Chris T. Bauch, Donald E. Canfield, Luc De Meester, Katja Fennel, Peter M. Groffman, Michael L. Pace, Mak Saito, and Myrna J. Simpson
Biogeosciences, 18, 3005–3013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3005-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3005-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Better development of interdisciplinary ties between biology, geology, and chemistry advances biogeochemistry through (1) better integration of contemporary (or rapid) evolutionary adaptation to predict changing biogeochemical cycles and (2) universal integration of data from long-term monitoring sites in terrestrial, aquatic, and human systems that span broad geographical regions for use in modeling.
Arnaud Laurent, Katja Fennel, and Angela Kuhn
Biogeosciences, 18, 1803–1822, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1803-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1803-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
CMIP5 and CMIP6 models, and a high-resolution regional model, were evaluated by comparing historical simulations with observations in the northwest North Atlantic, a climate-sensitive and biologically productive ocean margin region. Many of the CMIP models performed poorly for biological properties. There is no clear link between model resolution and skill in the global models, but there is an overall improvement in performance in CMIP6 from CMIP5. The regional model performed best.
Haiyan Zhang, Katja Fennel, Arnaud Laurent, and Changwei Bian
Biogeosciences, 17, 5745–5761, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5745-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5745-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In coastal seas, low oxygen, which is detrimental to coastal ecosystems, is increasingly caused by man-made nutrients from land. This is especially so near mouths of major rivers, including the Changjiang in the East China Sea. Here a simulation model is used to identify the main factors determining low-oxygen conditions in the region. High river discharge is identified as the prime cause, while wind and intrusions of open-ocean water modulate the severity and extent of low-oxygen conditions.
Christopher Gordon, Katja Fennel, Clark Richards, Lynn K. Shay, and Jodi K. Brewster
Biogeosciences, 17, 4119–4134, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4119-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4119-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We describe a method for correcting errors in oxygen optode measurements on autonomous platforms in the ocean. The errors result from the relatively slow response time of the sensor. The correction method includes an in situ determination of the effective response time and requires the time stamps of the individual measurements. It is highly relevant for the BGC-Argo program and also applicable to gliders. We also explore if diurnal changes in oxygen can be obtained from profiling floats.
Bin Wang, Katja Fennel, Liuqian Yu, and Christopher Gordon
Biogeosciences, 17, 4059–4074, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4059-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4059-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We assess trade-offs between different types of biological observations, specifically satellite ocean color and BGC-Argo profiles and the benefits of combining both for optimizing a biogeochemical model of the Gulf of Mexico. Using all available observations leads to significant improvements in observed and unobserved variables (including primary production and C export). Our results highlight the significant benefits of BGC-Argo measurements for biogeochemical model optimization and validation.
Fabian Große, Katja Fennel, Haiyan Zhang, and Arnaud Laurent
Biogeosciences, 17, 2701–2714, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2701-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2701-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In the East China Sea, hypoxia occurs frequently from spring to fall due to high primary production and subsequent decomposition of organic matter. Nitrogen inputs from the Changjiang and the open ocean have been suggested to contribute to hypoxia formation. We used a numerical modelling approach to quantify the relative contributions of these nitrogen sources. We found that the Changjiang dominates, which suggests that nitrogen management in the watershed would improve oxygen conditions.
Liuqian Yu, Katja Fennel, Bin Wang, Arnaud Laurent, Keith R. Thompson, and Lynn K. Shay
Ocean Sci., 15, 1801–1814, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-1801-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-1801-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We present a first direct comparison of nonidentical versus identical twin approaches for an ocean data assimilation system. We show that the identical twin approach overestimates the value of assimilating satellite observations and undervalues the benefit of assimilating temperature and salinity profiles. Misleading assessments such as undervaluing the impact of observational assets are problematic and can lead to misguided decisions on balancing investments among different observing assets.
Katja Fennel, Simone Alin, Leticia Barbero, Wiley Evans, Timothée Bourgeois, Sarah Cooley, John Dunne, Richard A. Feely, Jose Martin Hernandez-Ayon, Xinping Hu, Steven Lohrenz, Frank Muller-Karger, Raymond Najjar, Lisa Robbins, Elizabeth Shadwick, Samantha Siedlecki, Nadja Steiner, Adrienne Sutton, Daniela Turk, Penny Vlahos, and Zhaohui Aleck Wang
Biogeosciences, 16, 1281–1304, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1281-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1281-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We review and synthesize available information on coastal ocean carbon fluxes around North America (NA). There is overwhelming evidence, compiled and discussed here, that the NA coastal margins act as a sink. Our synthesis shows the great diversity in processes driving carbon fluxes in different coastal regions, highlights remaining gaps in observations and models, and discusses current and anticipated future trends with respect to carbon fluxes and acidification.
Angela M. Kuhn, Katja Fennel, and Ilana Berman-Frank
Biogeosciences, 15, 7379–7401, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-7379-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-7379-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Recent studies demonstrate that marine N2 fixation can be carried out without light. However, direct measurements of N2 fixation in dark environments are relatively scarce. This study uses a model that represents biogeochemical cycles at a deep-ocean location in the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea). Different model versions are used to test assumptions about N2 fixers. Relaxing light limitation for marine N2 fixers improved the similarity between model results and observations of deep nitrate and oxygen.
Krysten Rutherford and Katja Fennel
Ocean Sci., 14, 1207–1221, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1207-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1207-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Using a regional model of the northwestern North Atlantic shelves, we calculate transport timescales and pathways in order to understand the transport processes that underlie the rapid oxygen loss, air–sea CO2 flux, and supply of plankton seed populations on the Scotian Shelf. Study results highlight the limited connectivity between the Scotian Shelf and adjacent slope waters; instead, the dominant southwestward currents bring Grand Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence waters to the Scotian Shelf.
Jonathan Lemay, Helmuth Thomas, Susanne E. Craig, William J. Burt, Katja Fennel, and Blair J. W. Greenan
Biogeosciences, 15, 2111–2123, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2111-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2111-2018, 2018
Short summary
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We report a detailed mechanistic investigation of the impact of Hurricane Arthur on the CO2 cycling on the Scotian Shelf. We can show that in contrast to common thinking, the deepening of the surface during the summer months can lead to increased CO2 uptake as carbon-poor waters from subsurface water are brought up to the surface. Only during prolonged storm events is the deepening of the mixed layer strong enough to bring the (expected) carbon-rich water to the surface.
Julia M. Moriarty, Courtney K. Harris, Katja Fennel, Marjorie A. M. Friedrichs, Kehui Xu, and Christophe Rabouille
Biogeosciences, 14, 1919–1946, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1919-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1919-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
In coastal aquatic environments, resuspension of sediment and organic material from the seabed into the overlying water can impact biogeochemistry. Here, we used a novel modeling approach to quantify this impact for the Rhône River delta. In the model, resuspension increased oxygen consumption during individual resuspension events, and when results were averaged over 2 months. This implies that observations and models that only represent calm conditions may underestimate net oxygen consumption.
Zuo Xue, Ruoying He, Katja Fennel, Wei-Jun Cai, Steven Lohrenz, Wei-Jen Huang, Hanqin Tian, Wei Ren, and Zhengchen Zang
Biogeosciences, 13, 4359–4377, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4359-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4359-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we used a state-of-the-science coupled physical–biogeochemical model to simulate and examine temporal and spatial variability of sea surface CO2 concentration in the Gulf of Mexico. Our model revealed the Gulf was a net CO2 sink with a flux of 1.11 ± 0.84 × 1012 mol C yr−1. We also found that biological uptake was the primary driver making the Gulf an overall CO2 sink and that the carbon flux in the northern Gulf was very susceptible to changes in river inputs.
A. Laurent, K. Fennel, R. Wilson, J. Lehrter, and R. Devereux
Biogeosciences, 13, 77–94, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-77-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-77-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
In low oxygen environments, the lack of oxygen influences sediment biogeochemistry and in turn sediment-water fluxes. These nonlinear interactions are often missing from biogeochemical circulation models because sediment models are computationally expensive. A method for parameterizing realistic sediment-water fluxes is presented and applied to the Mississippi River Dead Zone where high primary production, stimulated by excess nutrient loads, promotes low bottom water conditions in summer.
L. Yu, K. Fennel, A. Laurent, M. C. Murrell, and J. C. Lehrter
Biogeosciences, 12, 2063–2076, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-2063-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-2063-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Our study suggests that a combination of physical processes and sediment oxygen consumption determine the spatial extent and temporal dynamics of hypoxia on the Louisiana shelf. In summer, stratification isolates oxygen-rich surface waters from hypoxic bottom waters; oxygen outgasses to the atmosphere at this time. A large fraction of primary production occurs below the pycnocline in summer, but this primary production does not strongly affect the spatial extent of hypoxic bottom waters.
K.-K. Liu, C.-K. Kang, T. Kobari, H. Liu, C. Rabouille, and K. Fennel
Biogeosciences, 11, 7061–7075, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-7061-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-7061-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides background info on the East China Sea, Japan/East Sea and South China Sea and highlights major findings in the special issue on their biogeochemical conditions and ecosystem functions. The three seas are subject to strong impacts from human activities and/or climate forcing. Because these continental margins sustain arguably some of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world, changes in these stressed ecosystems may threaten the livelihood of a large human population.
Z. Xue, R. He, K. Fennel, W.-J. Cai, S. Lohrenz, and C. Hopkinson
Biogeosciences, 10, 7219–7234, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-7219-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-7219-2013, 2013
W. J. Burt, H. Thomas, K. Fennel, and E. Horne
Biogeosciences, 10, 53–66, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-53-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-53-2013, 2013
Arnaud Laurent, Haiyan Zhang, and Katja Fennel
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2022-152, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2022-152, 2022
Preprint under review for BG
Short summary
Short summary
The Changjiang is the main terrestrial source of nutrients to the East China Sea (ECS). Nutrient delivery to the ECS has been increasing since the 1960s resulting in low oxygen (hypoxia) during phytoplankton decomposition in summer. River phosphorus (P) has increased less than nitrogen and therefore, despite the large nutrient delivery, phytoplankton growth can be limited by the lack of P. Here, we investigate this link between P limitation, phytoplankton production/decomposition and hypoxia.
Krysten Rutherford, Katja Fennel, Dariia Atamanchuk, Douglas Wallace, and Helmuth Thomas
Biogeosciences, 18, 6271–6286, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6271-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6271-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Using a regional model of the northwestern North Atlantic shelves in combination with a surface water time series and repeat transect observations, we investigate surface CO2 variability on the Scotian Shelf. The study highlights a strong seasonal cycle in shelf-wide pCO2 and spatial variability throughout the summer months driven by physical events. The simulated net flux of CO2 on the Scotian Shelf is out of the ocean, deviating from the global air–sea CO2 flux trend in continental shelves.
Bin Wang, Katja Fennel, and Liuqian Yu
Ocean Sci., 17, 1141–1156, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-1141-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-1141-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We demonstrate that even sparse BGC-Argo profiles can substantially improve biogeochemical prediction via a priori model tuning. By assimilating satellite surface chlorophyll and physical observations, subsurface distributions of physical properties and nutrients were improved immediately. The improvement of subsurface chlorophyll was modest initially but was greatly enhanced after adjusting the parameterization for light attenuation through further a priori tuning.
Thomas S. Bianchi, Madhur Anand, Chris T. Bauch, Donald E. Canfield, Luc De Meester, Katja Fennel, Peter M. Groffman, Michael L. Pace, Mak Saito, and Myrna J. Simpson
Biogeosciences, 18, 3005–3013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3005-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3005-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Better development of interdisciplinary ties between biology, geology, and chemistry advances biogeochemistry through (1) better integration of contemporary (or rapid) evolutionary adaptation to predict changing biogeochemical cycles and (2) universal integration of data from long-term monitoring sites in terrestrial, aquatic, and human systems that span broad geographical regions for use in modeling.
Arnaud Laurent, Katja Fennel, and Angela Kuhn
Biogeosciences, 18, 1803–1822, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1803-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1803-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
CMIP5 and CMIP6 models, and a high-resolution regional model, were evaluated by comparing historical simulations with observations in the northwest North Atlantic, a climate-sensitive and biologically productive ocean margin region. Many of the CMIP models performed poorly for biological properties. There is no clear link between model resolution and skill in the global models, but there is an overall improvement in performance in CMIP6 from CMIP5. The regional model performed best.
Haiyan Zhang, Katja Fennel, Arnaud Laurent, and Changwei Bian
Biogeosciences, 17, 5745–5761, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5745-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5745-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In coastal seas, low oxygen, which is detrimental to coastal ecosystems, is increasingly caused by man-made nutrients from land. This is especially so near mouths of major rivers, including the Changjiang in the East China Sea. Here a simulation model is used to identify the main factors determining low-oxygen conditions in the region. High river discharge is identified as the prime cause, while wind and intrusions of open-ocean water modulate the severity and extent of low-oxygen conditions.
Christopher Gordon, Katja Fennel, Clark Richards, Lynn K. Shay, and Jodi K. Brewster
Biogeosciences, 17, 4119–4134, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4119-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4119-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We describe a method for correcting errors in oxygen optode measurements on autonomous platforms in the ocean. The errors result from the relatively slow response time of the sensor. The correction method includes an in situ determination of the effective response time and requires the time stamps of the individual measurements. It is highly relevant for the BGC-Argo program and also applicable to gliders. We also explore if diurnal changes in oxygen can be obtained from profiling floats.
Bin Wang, Katja Fennel, Liuqian Yu, and Christopher Gordon
Biogeosciences, 17, 4059–4074, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4059-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4059-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We assess trade-offs between different types of biological observations, specifically satellite ocean color and BGC-Argo profiles and the benefits of combining both for optimizing a biogeochemical model of the Gulf of Mexico. Using all available observations leads to significant improvements in observed and unobserved variables (including primary production and C export). Our results highlight the significant benefits of BGC-Argo measurements for biogeochemical model optimization and validation.
Fabian Große, Katja Fennel, Haiyan Zhang, and Arnaud Laurent
Biogeosciences, 17, 2701–2714, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2701-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2701-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In the East China Sea, hypoxia occurs frequently from spring to fall due to high primary production and subsequent decomposition of organic matter. Nitrogen inputs from the Changjiang and the open ocean have been suggested to contribute to hypoxia formation. We used a numerical modelling approach to quantify the relative contributions of these nitrogen sources. We found that the Changjiang dominates, which suggests that nitrogen management in the watershed would improve oxygen conditions.
Liuqian Yu, Katja Fennel, Bin Wang, Arnaud Laurent, Keith R. Thompson, and Lynn K. Shay
Ocean Sci., 15, 1801–1814, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-1801-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-1801-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We present a first direct comparison of nonidentical versus identical twin approaches for an ocean data assimilation system. We show that the identical twin approach overestimates the value of assimilating satellite observations and undervalues the benefit of assimilating temperature and salinity profiles. Misleading assessments such as undervaluing the impact of observational assets are problematic and can lead to misguided decisions on balancing investments among different observing assets.
Katja Fennel, Simone Alin, Leticia Barbero, Wiley Evans, Timothée Bourgeois, Sarah Cooley, John Dunne, Richard A. Feely, Jose Martin Hernandez-Ayon, Xinping Hu, Steven Lohrenz, Frank Muller-Karger, Raymond Najjar, Lisa Robbins, Elizabeth Shadwick, Samantha Siedlecki, Nadja Steiner, Adrienne Sutton, Daniela Turk, Penny Vlahos, and Zhaohui Aleck Wang
Biogeosciences, 16, 1281–1304, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1281-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1281-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We review and synthesize available information on coastal ocean carbon fluxes around North America (NA). There is overwhelming evidence, compiled and discussed here, that the NA coastal margins act as a sink. Our synthesis shows the great diversity in processes driving carbon fluxes in different coastal regions, highlights remaining gaps in observations and models, and discusses current and anticipated future trends with respect to carbon fluxes and acidification.
Angela M. Kuhn, Katja Fennel, and Ilana Berman-Frank
Biogeosciences, 15, 7379–7401, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-7379-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-7379-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Recent studies demonstrate that marine N2 fixation can be carried out without light. However, direct measurements of N2 fixation in dark environments are relatively scarce. This study uses a model that represents biogeochemical cycles at a deep-ocean location in the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea). Different model versions are used to test assumptions about N2 fixers. Relaxing light limitation for marine N2 fixers improved the similarity between model results and observations of deep nitrate and oxygen.
Krysten Rutherford and Katja Fennel
Ocean Sci., 14, 1207–1221, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1207-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1207-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Using a regional model of the northwestern North Atlantic shelves, we calculate transport timescales and pathways in order to understand the transport processes that underlie the rapid oxygen loss, air–sea CO2 flux, and supply of plankton seed populations on the Scotian Shelf. Study results highlight the limited connectivity between the Scotian Shelf and adjacent slope waters; instead, the dominant southwestward currents bring Grand Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence waters to the Scotian Shelf.
Jonathan Lemay, Helmuth Thomas, Susanne E. Craig, William J. Burt, Katja Fennel, and Blair J. W. Greenan
Biogeosciences, 15, 2111–2123, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2111-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2111-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We report a detailed mechanistic investigation of the impact of Hurricane Arthur on the CO2 cycling on the Scotian Shelf. We can show that in contrast to common thinking, the deepening of the surface during the summer months can lead to increased CO2 uptake as carbon-poor waters from subsurface water are brought up to the surface. Only during prolonged storm events is the deepening of the mixed layer strong enough to bring the (expected) carbon-rich water to the surface.
Julia M. Moriarty, Courtney K. Harris, Katja Fennel, Marjorie A. M. Friedrichs, Kehui Xu, and Christophe Rabouille
Biogeosciences, 14, 1919–1946, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1919-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1919-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
In coastal aquatic environments, resuspension of sediment and organic material from the seabed into the overlying water can impact biogeochemistry. Here, we used a novel modeling approach to quantify this impact for the Rhône River delta. In the model, resuspension increased oxygen consumption during individual resuspension events, and when results were averaged over 2 months. This implies that observations and models that only represent calm conditions may underestimate net oxygen consumption.
Zuo Xue, Ruoying He, Katja Fennel, Wei-Jun Cai, Steven Lohrenz, Wei-Jen Huang, Hanqin Tian, Wei Ren, and Zhengchen Zang
Biogeosciences, 13, 4359–4377, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4359-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4359-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we used a state-of-the-science coupled physical–biogeochemical model to simulate and examine temporal and spatial variability of sea surface CO2 concentration in the Gulf of Mexico. Our model revealed the Gulf was a net CO2 sink with a flux of 1.11 ± 0.84 × 1012 mol C yr−1. We also found that biological uptake was the primary driver making the Gulf an overall CO2 sink and that the carbon flux in the northern Gulf was very susceptible to changes in river inputs.
A. Laurent, K. Fennel, R. Wilson, J. Lehrter, and R. Devereux
Biogeosciences, 13, 77–94, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-77-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-77-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
In low oxygen environments, the lack of oxygen influences sediment biogeochemistry and in turn sediment-water fluxes. These nonlinear interactions are often missing from biogeochemical circulation models because sediment models are computationally expensive. A method for parameterizing realistic sediment-water fluxes is presented and applied to the Mississippi River Dead Zone where high primary production, stimulated by excess nutrient loads, promotes low bottom water conditions in summer.
L. Yu, K. Fennel, A. Laurent, M. C. Murrell, and J. C. Lehrter
Biogeosciences, 12, 2063–2076, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-2063-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-2063-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Our study suggests that a combination of physical processes and sediment oxygen consumption determine the spatial extent and temporal dynamics of hypoxia on the Louisiana shelf. In summer, stratification isolates oxygen-rich surface waters from hypoxic bottom waters; oxygen outgasses to the atmosphere at this time. A large fraction of primary production occurs below the pycnocline in summer, but this primary production does not strongly affect the spatial extent of hypoxic bottom waters.
K.-K. Liu, C.-K. Kang, T. Kobari, H. Liu, C. Rabouille, and K. Fennel
Biogeosciences, 11, 7061–7075, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-7061-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-7061-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides background info on the East China Sea, Japan/East Sea and South China Sea and highlights major findings in the special issue on their biogeochemical conditions and ecosystem functions. The three seas are subject to strong impacts from human activities and/or climate forcing. Because these continental margins sustain arguably some of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world, changes in these stressed ecosystems may threaten the livelihood of a large human population.
Z. Xue, R. He, K. Fennel, W.-J. Cai, S. Lohrenz, and C. Hopkinson
Biogeosciences, 10, 7219–7234, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-7219-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-7219-2013, 2013
W. J. Burt, H. Thomas, K. Fennel, and E. Horne
Biogeosciences, 10, 53–66, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-53-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-53-2013, 2013
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Seasonal dispersal of fjord meltwaters as an important source of iron and manganese to coastal Antarctic phytoplankton
Modeling cyanobacteria life cycle dynamics and historical nitrogen fixation in the Baltic Proper
Simultaneous assessment of oxygen- and nitrate-based net community production in a temperate shelf sea from a single ocean glider
Reviews and syntheses: Physical and biogeochemical processes associated with upwelling in the Indian Ocean
Particulate organic carbon dynamics in the Gulf of Lion shelf (NW Mediterranean) using a coupled hydrodynamic–biogeochemical model
Technical note: Novel triple O2 sensor aquatic eddy covariance instrument with improved time shift correction reveals central role of microphytobenthos for carbon cycling in coral reef sands
Long-term spatiotemporal variations in and expansion of low-oxygen conditions in the Pearl River estuary: a study synthesizing observations during 1976–2017
Fe-binding organic ligands in coastal and frontal regions of the western Antarctic Peninsula
Temporal variability and driving factors of the carbonate system in the Aransas Ship Channel, TX, USA: a time series study
Nitrogen loss processes in response to upwelling in a Peruvian coastal setting dominated by denitrification – a mesocosm approach
Retracing hypoxia in Eckernförde Bight (Baltic Sea)
The impact of the freeze–melt cycle of land-fast ice on the distribution of dissolved organic matter in the Laptev and East Siberian seas (Siberian Arctic)
The fate of upwelled nitrate off Peru shaped by submesoscale filaments and fronts
Coastal processes modify projections of some climate-driven stressors in the California Current System
Upwelling-induced trace gas dynamics in the Baltic Sea inferred from 8 years of autonomous measurements on a ship of opportunity
Destruction and reinstatement of coastal hypoxia in the South China Sea off the Pearl River estuary
Hypersaline tidal flats as important “blue carbon” systems: a case study from three ecosystems
Drivers and impact of the seasonal variability of the organic carbon offshore transport in the Canary upwelling system
Organic carbon densities and accumulation rates in surface sediments of the North Sea and Skagerrak
An observation-based evaluation and ranking of historical Earth system model simulations in the northwest North Atlantic Ocean
Characterizing the origins of dissolved organic carbon in coastal seawater using stable carbon isotope and light absorption characteristics
Warming and ocean acidification may decrease estuarine dissolved organic carbon export to the ocean
Chemical characterization of the Punta de Fuencaliente CO2-enriched system (La Palma, NE Atlantic Ocean): a new natural laboratory for ocean acidification studies
The seasonal phases of an Arctic lagoon reveal the discontinuities of pH variability and CO2 flux at the air–sea interface
The northern European shelf as an increasing net sink for CO2
Impacts of biogenic polyunsaturated aldehydes on metabolism and community composition of particle-attached bacteria in coastal hypoxia
A Lagrangian study of the contribution of the Canary coastal upwelling to the nitrogen budget of the open North Atlantic
Denitrification by benthic foraminifera and their contribution to N-loss from a fjord environment
A numerical model study of the main factors contributing to hypoxia and its interannual and short-term variability in the East China Sea
The effects of decomposing invasive jellyfish on biogeochemical fluxes and microbial dynamics in an ultra-oligotrophic sea
Using 226Ra and 228Ra isotopes to distinguish water mass distribution in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Factors controlling plankton community production, export flux, and particulate matter stoichiometry in the coastal upwelling system off Peru
Michael M. Whitney
Biogeosciences, 19, 4479–4497, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4479-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4479-2022, 2022
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Coastal hypoxia is a major environmental problem of increasing severity. The 21st-century projections analyzed indicate global coastal waters will warm and experience rapid declines in oxygen. The forecasted median coastal trends for increasing sea surface temperature and decreasing oxygen capacity are 48 % and 18 % faster than the rates observed over the last 4 decades. Existing hypoxic areas are expected to worsen, and new hypoxic areas likely will emerge under these warming-related pressures.
Bryce Van Dam, Nele Lehmann, Mary A. Zeller, Andreas Neumann, Daniel Pröfrock, Marko Lipka, Helmuth Thomas, and Michael Ernst Böttcher
Biogeosciences, 19, 3775–3789, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3775-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3775-2022, 2022
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We quantified sediment–water exchange at shallow sites in the North and Baltic seas. We found that porewater irrigation rates in the former were approximately twice as high as previously estimated, likely driven by relatively high bioirrigative activity. In contrast, we found small net fluxes of alkalinity, ranging from −35 µmol m−2 h−1 (uptake) to 53 µmol m−2 h−1 (release). We attribute this to low net denitrification, carbonate mineral (re-)precipitation, and sulfide (re-)oxidation.
Jiaying Abby Guo, Robert Strzepek, Anusuya Willis, Aaron Ferderer, and Lennart Thomas Bach
Biogeosciences, 19, 3683–3697, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3683-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3683-2022, 2022
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Ocean alkalinity enhancement is a CO2 removal method with significant potential, but it can lead to a perturbation of the ocean with trace metals such as nickel. This study tested the effect of increasing nickel concentrations on phytoplankton growth and photosynthesis. We found that the response to nickel varied across the 11 phytoplankton species tested here, but the majority were rather insensitive. We note, however, that responses may be different under other experimental conditions.
Malcolm E. Scully, W. Rockwell Geyer, David Borkman, Tracy L. Pugh, Amy Costa, and Owen C. Nichols
Biogeosciences, 19, 3523–3536, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3523-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3523-2022, 2022
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For two consecutive summers, the bottom waters in southern Cape Cod Bay became severely depleted of dissolved oxygen. Low oxygen levels in bottom waters have never been reported in this area before, and this unprecedented occurrence is likely the result of a new algae species that recently began blooming during the late-summer months. We present data suggesting that blooms of this new species are the result of regional climate change including warmer waters and changes in summer winds.
Zheng Chen, Bin Wang, Chuang Xu, Zhongren Zhang, Shiyu Li, and Jiatang Hu
Biogeosciences, 19, 3469–3490, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3469-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3469-2022, 2022
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Deterioration of low-oxygen conditions in the coastal waters off Hong Kong was revealed by monitoring data over two decades. The declining wind forcing and the increasing nutrient input contributed significantly to the areal expansion and intense deterioration of low-oxygen conditions. Also, the exacerbated eutrophication drove a shift in the dominant source of organic matter from terrestrial inputs to in situ primary production, which has probably led to an earlier onset of hypoxia in summer.
Stella-Theresa Stoicescu, Jaan Laanemets, Taavi Liblik, Māris Skudra, Oliver Samlas, Inga Lips, and Urmas Lips
Biogeosciences, 19, 2903–2920, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2903-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2903-2022, 2022
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Coastal basins with high input of nutrients often suffer from oxygen deficiency. In summer 2018, the extent of oxygen depletion was exceptional in the Gulf of Riga. We analyzed observational data and found that extensive oxygen deficiency appeared since the water layer close to the seabed, where oxygen is consumed, was separated from the surface layer. The problem worsens if similar conditions restricting vertical transport of oxygen occur more frequently in the future.
Justin C. Tiano, Jochen Depestele, Gert Van Hoey, João Fernandes, Pieter van Rijswijk, and Karline Soetaert
Biogeosciences, 19, 2583–2598, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2583-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2583-2022, 2022
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This study gives an assessment of bottom trawling on physical, chemical, and biological characteristics in a location known for its strong currents and variable habitats. Although trawl gears only removed the top 1 cm of the seabed surface, impacts on reef-building tubeworms significantly decreased carbon and nutrient cycling. Lighter trawls slightly reduced the impact on fauna and nutrients. Tubeworms were strongly linked to biogeochemical and faunal aspects before but not after trawling.
Inda Brinkmann, Christine Barras, Tom Jilbert, Tomas Næraa, K. Mareike Paul, Magali Schweizer, and Helena L. Filipsson
Biogeosciences, 19, 2523–2535, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2523-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2523-2022, 2022
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The concentration of the trace metal barium (Ba) in coastal seawater is a function of continental input, such as riverine discharge. Our geochemical records of the severely hot and dry year 2018, and following wet year 2019, reveal that prolonged drought imprints with exceptionally low Ba concentrations in benthic foraminiferal calcium carbonates of coastal sediments. This highlights the potential of benthic Ba / Ca to trace past climate extremes and variability in coastal marine records.
Shichao Tian, Birgit Gaye, Jianhui Tang, Yongming Luo, Wenguo Li, Niko Lahajnar, Kirstin Dähnke, Tina Sanders, Tianqi Xiong, Weidong Zhai, and Kay-Christian Emeis
Biogeosciences, 19, 2397–2415, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2397-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2397-2022, 2022
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We constrain the nitrogen budget and in particular the internal sources and sinks of nitrate in the Bohai Sea by using a mass-based and dual stable isotope approach based on δ15N and δ18O of nitrate. Based on available mass fluxes and isotope data an updated nitrogen budget is proposed. Compared to previous estimates, it is more complete and includes the impact of the interior cycle (nitrification) on the nitrate pool. The main external nitrogen sources are rivers contributing 19.2 %–25.6 %.
Gesa Schulz, Tina Sanders, Justus E. E. van Beusekom, Yoana G. Voynova, Andreas Schöl, and Kirstin Dähnke
Biogeosciences, 19, 2007–2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2007-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2007-2022, 2022
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Estuaries can significantly alter nutrient loads before reaching coastal waters. Our study of the heavily managed Ems estuary (Northern Germany) reveals three zones of nitrogen turnover along the estuary with water-column denitrification in the most upstream hyper-turbid part, nitrate production in the middle reaches and mixing/nitrate uptake in the North Sea. Suspended particulate matter was the overarching control on nitrogen cycling in the hyper-turbid estuary.
Wiley Evans, Geoffrey T. Lebon, Christen D. Harrington, Yuichiro Takeshita, and Allison Bidlack
Biogeosciences, 19, 1277–1301, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1277-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1277-2022, 2022
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Information on the marine carbon dioxide system along the northeast Pacific Inside Passage has been limited. To address this gap, we instrumented an Alaskan ferry in order to characterize the marine carbon dioxide system in this region. Data over a 2-year period were used to assess drivers of the observed variability, identify the timing of severe conditions, and assess the extent of contemporary ocean acidification as well as future levels consistent with a 1.5 °C warmer climate.
Melissa Ward, Tye L. Kindinger, Heidi K. Hirsh, Tessa M. Hill, Brittany M. Jellison, Sarah Lummis, Emily B. Rivest, George G. Waldbusser, Brian Gaylord, and Kristy J. Kroeker
Biogeosciences, 19, 689–699, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-689-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-689-2022, 2022
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Here, we synthesize the results from 62 studies reporting in situ rates of seagrass metabolism to highlight spatial and temporal variability in oxygen fluxes and inform efforts to use seagrass to mitigate ocean acidification. Our analyses suggest seagrass meadows are generally autotrophic and variable in space and time, and the effects on seawater oxygen are relatively small in magnitude.
Tianfei Xue, Ivy Frenger, A. E. Friederike Prowe, Yonss Saranga José, and Andreas Oschlies
Biogeosciences, 19, 455–475, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-455-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-455-2022, 2022
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The Peruvian system supports 10 % of the world's fishing yield. In the Peruvian system, wind and earth’s rotation bring cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface and allow phytoplankton to grow. But observations show that it grows worse at high upwelling. Using a model, we find that high upwelling happens when air mixes the water the most. Then phytoplankton is diluted and grows slowly due to low light and cool upwelled water. This study helps to estimate how it might change in a warming climate.
Shao-Min Chen, Ulf Riebesell, Kai G. Schulz, Elisabeth von der Esch, Eric P. Achterberg, and Lennart T. Bach
Biogeosciences, 19, 295–312, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-295-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-295-2022, 2022
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Oxygen minimum zones in the ocean are characterized by enhanced carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and are being further acidified by increasing anthropogenic atmospheric CO2. Here we report CO2 system measurements in a mesocosm study offshore Peru during a rare coastal El Niño event to investigate how CO2 dynamics may respond to ongoing ocean deoxygenation. Our observations show that nitrogen limitation, productivity, and plankton community shift play an important role in driving the CO2 dynamics.
Paula Maria Salgado-Hernanz, Aurore Regaudie-de-Gioux, David Antoine, and Gotzon Basterretxea
Biogeosciences, 19, 47–69, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-47-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-47-2022, 2022
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For the first time, this study presents the characteristics of primary production in coastal regions of the Mediterranean Sea based on satellite-borne observations for the period 2002–2016. The study concludes that there are significant spatial and temporal variations among different regions. Quantifying primary production is of special importance in the marine food web and in the sequestration of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the deep waters.
Samu Elovaara, Eeva Eronen-Rasimus, Eero Asmala, Tobias Tamelander, and Hermanni Kaartokallio
Biogeosciences, 18, 6589–6616, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6589-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6589-2021, 2021
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Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a significant carbon pool in the marine environment. The composition of the DOM pool, as well as its interaction with microbes, is complex, yet understanding it is important for understanding global carbon cycling. This study shows that two phytoplankton species have different effects on the composition of the DOM pool and, through the DOM they produce, on the ensuing microbial community. These communities in turn have different effects on DOM composition.
Le Zhang and Z. George Xue
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-339, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-339, 2021
Revised manuscript accepted for BG
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We adapt a high-resolution regional carbon model to the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We calculated the decadal trends of important carbon system variables in the GoM. The GoM surface CO2 values experience a steady increase from 2001 to 2019. Correspondingly, the ocean surface pH is declining. The surface carbonate saturation rates in the GoM remain supersaturated with aragonite during the time span of the model but with a slightly decreasing trend.
Yuan Dong, Qian P. Li, Zhengchao Wu, Yiping Shuai, Zijia Liu, Zaiming Ge, Weiwen Zhou, and Yinchao Chen
Biogeosciences, 18, 6423–6434, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6423-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6423-2021, 2021
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Temporal change of plankton growth and grazing are less known in the coastal ocean, not to mention the relevant controlling mechanisms. Here, we performed monthly size-specific dilution experiments outside a eutrophic estuary over a 1-year cycle. Phytoplankton growth was correlated to nutrients and grazing mortality to total chlorophyll a. A selective grazing on small cells may be important for maintaining high abundance of large-chain-forming diatoms in this eutrophic system.
Kiefer O. Forsch, Lisa Hahn-Woernle, Robert M. Sherrell, Vincent J. Roccanova, Kaixuan Bu, David Burdige, Maria Vernet, and Katherine A. Barbeau
Biogeosciences, 18, 6349–6375, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6349-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6349-2021, 2021
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We show that for an unperturbed cold western Antarctic Peninsula fjord, the seasonality of iron and manganese is linked to the dispersal of metal-rich meltwater sources. Geochemical measurements of trace metals in meltwaters, porewaters, and seawater, collected during two expeditions, showed a seasonal cycle of distinct sources. Finally, model results revealed that the dispersal of surface meltwater and meltwater plumes originating from under the glacier is sensitive to katabatic wind events.
Jenny Hieronymus, Kari Eilola, Malin Olofsson, Inga Hense, H. E. Markus Meier, and Elin Almroth-Rosell
Biogeosciences, 18, 6213–6227, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6213-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6213-2021, 2021
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Dense blooms of cyanobacteria occur every summer in the Baltic Proper and can add to eutrophication by their ability to turn nitrogen gas into dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Being able to correctly estimate the size of this nitrogen fixation is important for management purposes. In this work, we find that the life cycle of cyanobacteria plays an important role in capturing the seasonality of the blooms as well as the size of nitrogen fixation in our ocean model.
Tom Hull, Naomi Greenwood, Antony Birchill, Alexander Beaton, Matthew Palmer, and Jan Kaiser
Biogeosciences, 18, 6167–6180, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6167-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6167-2021, 2021
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The shallow shelf seas play a large role in the global cycling of CO2 and also support large fisheries. We use an autonomous underwater vehicle in the central North Sea to measure the rates of change in oxygen and nutrients.
Using these data we determine the amount of carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere by the sea and measure how productive the region is.
These observations will be useful for improving our predictive models and help us predict and adapt to a changing ocean.
Puthenveettil Narayana Menon Vinayachandran, Yukio Masumoto, Michael J. Roberts, Jenny A. Huggett, Issufo Halo, Abhisek Chatterjee, Prakash Amol, Garuda V. M. Gupta, Arvind Singh, Arnab Mukherjee, Satya Prakash, Lynnath E. Beckley, Eric Jorden Raes, and Raleigh Hood
Biogeosciences, 18, 5967–6029, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5967-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5967-2021, 2021
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Upwelling in the coastal ocean triggers biological productivity and thus enhances fisheries. Therefore, understanding the phenomenon of upwelling and the underlying mechanisms is important. In this paper, the present understanding of the upwelling along the coastline of the Indian Ocean from the coast of Africa all the way up to the coast of Australia is reviewed. The review provides a synthesis of the physical processes associated with upwelling and its impact on the marine ecosystem.
Gaël Many, Caroline Ulses, Claude Estournel, and Patrick Marsaleix
Biogeosciences, 18, 5513–5538, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5513-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5513-2021, 2021
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The Gulf of Lion shelf is one of the most productive areas in the Mediterranean. A model is used to study the mechanisms that drive the particulate organic carbon (POC). The model reproduces the annual cycle of primary production well. The shelf appears as an autotrophic ecosystem with a high production and as a source of POC for the adjacent basin. The increase in temperature induced by climate change could impact the trophic status of the shelf.
Alireza Merikhi, Peter Berg, and Markus Huettel
Biogeosciences, 18, 5381–5395, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5381-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5381-2021, 2021
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The aquatic eddy covariance technique is a powerful method for measurements of solute fluxes across the sediment–water interface. Data measured by conventional eddy covariance instruments require a time shift correction that can result in substantial flux errors. We introduce a triple O2 sensor eddy covariance instrument that by design eliminates these errors. Deployments next to a conventional instrument in the Florida Keys demonstrate the improvements achieved through the new design.
Jiatang Hu, Zhongren Zhang, Bin Wang, and Jia Huang
Biogeosciences, 18, 5247–5264, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5247-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5247-2021, 2021
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In situ observations over 42 years were used to explore the long-term changes to low-oxygen conditions in the Pearl River estuary. Apparent expansion of the low-oxygen conditions in summer was identified, primarily due to the combined effects of increased anthropogenic inputs and decreased sediment load. Large areas of severe low-oxygen events were also observed in early autumn and were formed by distinct mechanisms. The estuary seems to be growing into a seasonal, estuary-wide hypoxic zone.
Indah Ardiningsih, Kyyas Seyitmuhammedov, Sylvia G. Sander, Claudine H. Stirling, Gert-Jan Reichart, Kevin R. Arrigo, Loes J. A. Gerringa, and Rob Middag
Biogeosciences, 18, 4587–4601, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4587-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4587-2021, 2021
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Organic Fe speciation is investigated along a natural gradient of the western Antarctic Peninsula from an ice-covered shelf to the open ocean. The two major fronts in the region affect the distribution of ligands. The excess ligands not bound to dissolved Fe (DFe) comprised up to 80 % of the total ligand concentrations, implying the potential to solubilize additional Fe input. The ligands on the shelf can increase the DFe residence time and fuel local primary production upon ice melt.
Melissa R. McCutcheon, Hongming Yao, Cory J. Staryk, and Xinping Hu
Biogeosciences, 18, 4571–4586, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4571-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4571-2021, 2021
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We used 5+ years of discrete samples and 10 months of hourly sensor measurements to explore temporal variability and environmental controls on pH and pCO2 at the Aransas Ship Channel. Seasonal and diel variability were both present but small compared to other regions in the literature. Despite the small tidal range, tidal control often surpassed biological control. In comparison with sensor data, discrete samples were generally representative of mean annual and seasonal carbonate chemistry.
Kai G. Schulz, Eric P. Achterberg, Javier Arístegui, Lennart T. Bach, Isabel Baños, Tim Boxhammer, Dirk Erler, Maricarmen Igarza, Verena Kalter, Andrea Ludwig, Carolin Löscher, Jana Meyer, Judith Meyer, Fabrizio Minutolo, Elisabeth von der Esch, Bess B. Ward, and Ulf Riebesell
Biogeosciences, 18, 4305–4320, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4305-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4305-2021, 2021
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Upwelling of nutrient-rich deep waters to the surface make eastern boundary upwelling systems hot spots of marine productivity. This leads to subsurface oxygen depletion and the transformation of bioavailable nitrogen into inert N2. Here we quantify nitrogen loss processes following a simulated deep water upwelling. Denitrification was the dominant process, and budget calculations suggest that a significant portion of nitrogen that could be exported to depth is already lost in the surface ocean.
Heiner Dietze and Ulrike Löptien
Biogeosciences, 18, 4243–4264, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4243-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4243-2021, 2021
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In recent years fish-kill events caused by oxygen deficit have been reported in Eckernförde Bight (Baltic Sea). This study sets out to understand the processes causing respective oxygen deficits by combining high-resolution coupled ocean circulation biogeochemical modeling, monitoring data, and artificial intelligence.
Jens A. Hölemann, Bennet Juhls, Dorothea Bauch, Markus Janout, Boris P. Koch, and Birgit Heim
Biogeosciences, 18, 3637–3655, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3637-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3637-2021, 2021
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The Arctic Ocean receives large amounts of river water rich in terrestrial dissolved organic matter (tDOM), which is an important component of the Arctic carbon cycle. Our analysis shows that mixing of three major freshwater sources is the main factor that regulates the distribution of tDOM concentrations in the Siberian shelf seas. In this context, the formation and melting of the land-fast ice in the Laptev Sea and the peak spring discharge of the Lena River are of particular importance.
Jaard Hauschildt, Soeren Thomsen, Vincent Echevin, Andreas Oschlies, Yonss Saranga José, Gerd Krahmann, Laura A. Bristow, and Gaute Lavik
Biogeosciences, 18, 3605–3629, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3605-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-3605-2021, 2021
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In this paper we quantify the subduction of upwelled nitrate due to physical processes on the order of several kilometers in the coastal upwelling off Peru and its effect on primary production. We also compare the prepresentation of these processes in a high-resolution simulation (~2.5 km) with a more coarsely resolved simulation (~12 km). To do this, we combine high-resolution shipboard observations of physical and biogeochemical parameters with a complex biogeochemical model configuration.
Samantha A. Siedlecki, Darren Pilcher, Evan M. Howard, Curtis Deutsch, Parker MacCready, Emily L. Norton, Hartmut Frenzel, Jan Newton, Richard A. Feely, Simone R. Alin, and Terrie Klinger
Biogeosciences, 18, 2871–2890, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2871-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2871-2021, 2021
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Future ocean conditions can be simulated using projected trends in fossil fuel use paired with Earth system models. Global models generally do not include local processes important to coastal ecosystems. These coastal processes can alter the degree of change projected. Higher-resolution models that include local processes predict modified changes in carbon stressors when compared to changes projected by global models in the California Current System.
Erik Jacobs, Henry C. Bittig, Ulf Gräwe, Carolyn A. Graves, Michael Glockzin, Jens D. Müller, Bernd Schneider, and Gregor Rehder
Biogeosciences, 18, 2679–2709, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2679-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2679-2021, 2021
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We use a unique data set of 8 years of continuous carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) surface water measurements from a commercial ferry to study upwelling in the Baltic Sea. Its seasonality and regional and interannual variability are examined. Strong upwelling events drastically increase local surface CO2 and CH4 levels and are mostly detected in late summer after long periods of impaired mixing. We introduce an extrapolation method to estimate regional upwelling-induced trace gas fluxes.
Yangyang Zhao, Khanittha Uthaipan, Zhongming Lu, Yan Li, Jing Liu, Hongbin Liu, Jianping Gan, Feifei Meng, and Minhan Dai
Biogeosciences, 18, 2755–2775, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2755-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2755-2021, 2021
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In situ oxygen consumption rates were estimated for the first time during destruction of coastal hypoxia as disturbed by a typhoon and its reinstatement in the South China Sea off the Pearl River estuary. The reinstatement of summer hypoxia was rapid with a comparable timescale with that of its initial disturbance from frequent tropical cyclones, which has important implications for better understanding the intermittent nature of coastal hypoxia and its prediction in a changing climate.
Dylan R. Brown, Humberto Marotta, Roberta B. Peixoto, Alex Enrich-Prast, Glenda C. Barroso, Mario L. G. Soares, Wilson Machado, Alexander Pérez, Joseph M. Smoak, Luciana M. Sanders, Stephen Conrad, James Z. Sippo, Isaac R. Santos, Damien T. Maher, and Christian J. Sanders
Biogeosciences, 18, 2527–2538, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2527-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2527-2021, 2021
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Hypersaline tidal flats (HTFs) are coastal ecosystems with freshwater deficits often occurring in arid or semi-arid regions near mangrove supratidal zones with no major fluvial contributions. This study shows that HTFs are important carbon and nutrient sinks which may be significant given their extensive coverage. Our findings highlight a previously unquantified carbon as well as a nutrient sink and suggest that coastal HTF ecosystems could be included in the emerging blue carbon framework.
Giulia Bonino, Elisa Lovecchio, Nicolas Gruber, Matthias Münnich, Simona Masina, and Doroteaciro Iovino
Biogeosciences, 18, 2429–2448, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2429-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2429-2021, 2021
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Seasonal variations of processes such as upwelling and biological production that happen along the northwestern African coast can modulate the temporal variability of the biological activity of the adjacent open North Atlantic hundreds of kilometers away from the coast thanks to the lateral transport of coastal organic carbon. This happens with a temporal delay, which is smaller than a season up to roughly 500 km from the coast due to the intense transport by small-scale filaments.
Markus Diesing, Terje Thorsnes, and Lilja Rún Bjarnadóttir
Biogeosciences, 18, 2139–2160, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2139-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2139-2021, 2021
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The upper 10 cm of the seafloor of the North Sea and Skagerrak contain 231×106 t of carbon in organic form. The Norwegian Trough, the deepest sedimentary basin in the studied area, stands out as a zone of strong organic carbon accumulation with rates on par with neighbouring fjords. Conversely, large parts of the North Sea are characterised by rapid organic carbon degradation and negligible accumulation. This dual character is likely typical for continental shelf sediments worldwide.
Arnaud Laurent, Katja Fennel, and Angela Kuhn
Biogeosciences, 18, 1803–1822, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1803-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1803-2021, 2021
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CMIP5 and CMIP6 models, and a high-resolution regional model, were evaluated by comparing historical simulations with observations in the northwest North Atlantic, a climate-sensitive and biologically productive ocean margin region. Many of the CMIP models performed poorly for biological properties. There is no clear link between model resolution and skill in the global models, but there is an overall improvement in performance in CMIP6 from CMIP5. The regional model performed best.
Heejun Han, Jeomshik Hwang, and Guebuem Kim
Biogeosciences, 18, 1793–1801, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1793-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1793-2021, 2021
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The main source of excess DOC occurring in coastal seawater off an artificial lake, which is enclosed by a dike along the western coast of South Korea, was determined using a combination of various biogeochemical tools including DOC and nutrient concentrations, stable carbon isotope, and optical properties (absorbance and fluorescence) of dissolved organic matter in two different seasons (March 2017 and September 2018).
Michelle N. Simone, Kai G. Schulz, Joanne M. Oakes, and Bradley D. Eyre
Biogeosciences, 18, 1823–1838, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1823-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1823-2021, 2021
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Estuaries are responsible for a large contribution of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to the global C cycle, but it is unknown how this will change in the future. DOC fluxes from unvegetated sediments were investigated ex situ subject to conditions of warming and ocean acidification. The future climate shifted sediment fluxes from a slight DOC source to a significant sink, with global coastal DOC export decreasing by 80 %. This has global implications for C cycling and long-term C storage.
Sara González-Delgado, David González-Santana, Magdalena Santana-Casiano, Melchor González-Dávila, Celso A. Hernández, Carlos Sangil, and José Carlos Hernández
Biogeosciences, 18, 1673–1687, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1673-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1673-2021, 2021
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We describe the carbon system dynamics of a new CO2 seep system located off the coast of La Palma. We explored for over a year, finding points with lower levels of pH and alkalinity; high levels of carbon; and poorer levels of aragonite and calcite, both essential for calcifying species. The seeps are a key feature for robust experimental designs, aimed at comprehending how life has persisted through past eras or at predicting the consequences of ocean acidification in the marine realm.
Cale A. Miller, Christina Bonsell, Nathan D. McTigue, and Amanda L. Kelley
Biogeosciences, 18, 1203–1221, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1203-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1203-2021, 2021
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We report here the first year-long high-frequency pH data set for an Arctic lagoon that captures ice-free and ice-covered seasons. pH and salinity correlation varies by year as we observed positive correlation and independence. Photosynthesis is found to drive high pH values, and small changes in underwater solar radiation can result in rapid decreases in pH. We estimate that arctic lagoons may act as sources of CO2 to the atmosphere, potentially offsetting the Arctic Ocean's CO2 sink capacity.
Meike Becker, Are Olsen, Peter Landschützer, Abdirhaman Omar, Gregor Rehder, Christian Rödenbeck, and Ingunn Skjelvan
Biogeosciences, 18, 1127–1147, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1127-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1127-2021, 2021
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We developed a simple method to refine existing open-ocean maps towards different coastal seas. Using a multi-linear regression, we produced monthly maps of surface ocean fCO2 in the northern European coastal seas (the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Norwegian Coast and the Barents Sea) covering a time period from 1998 to 2016. Based on this fCO2 map, we calculate trends in surface ocean fCO2, pH and the air–sea gas exchange.
Zhengchao Wu, Qian P. Li, Zaiming Ge, Bangqin Huang, and Chunming Dong
Biogeosciences, 18, 1049–1065, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1049-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-1049-2021, 2021
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Seasonal hypoxia in the nearshore bottom waters frequently occurs in the Pearl River estuary. Aerobic respiration is the ultimate cause of local hypoxia. We found an elevated level of polyunsaturated aldehydes in the bottom water outside the estuary, which promoted the growth and metabolism of special groups of particle-attached bacteria and thus contributed to oxygen depletion in hypoxic waters. Our results may be important for understanding coastal hypoxia and its linkages to eutrophication.
Derara Hailegeorgis, Zouhair Lachkar, Christoph Rieper, and Nicolas Gruber
Biogeosciences, 18, 303–325, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-303-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-303-2021, 2021
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Using a Lagrangian modeling approach, this study provides a quantitative analysis of water and nitrogen offshore transport in the Canary Current System. We investigate the timescales, reach and structure of offshore transport and demonstrate that the Canary upwelling is a key source of nutrients to the open North Atlantic Ocean. Our findings stress the need for improving the representation of the Canary system and other eastern boundary upwelling systems in global coarse-resolution models.
Constance Choquel, Emmanuelle Geslin, Edouard Metzger, Helena L. Filipsson, Nils Risgaard-Petersen, Patrick Launeau, Manuel Giraud, Thierry Jauffrais, Bruno Jesus, and Aurélia Mouret
Biogeosciences, 18, 327–341, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-327-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-327-2021, 2021
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Marine microorganisms such as foraminifera are able to live temporarily without oxygen in sediments. In a Swedish fjord subjected to seasonal oxygen scarcity, a change in fauna linked to the decrease in oxygen and the increase in an invasive species was shown. The invasive species respire nitrate until 100 % of the nitrate porewater in the sediment and could be a major contributor to nitrogen balance in oxic coastal ecosystems. But prolonged hypoxia creates unfavorable conditions to survive.
Haiyan Zhang, Katja Fennel, Arnaud Laurent, and Changwei Bian
Biogeosciences, 17, 5745–5761, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5745-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5745-2020, 2020
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In coastal seas, low oxygen, which is detrimental to coastal ecosystems, is increasingly caused by man-made nutrients from land. This is especially so near mouths of major rivers, including the Changjiang in the East China Sea. Here a simulation model is used to identify the main factors determining low-oxygen conditions in the region. High river discharge is identified as the prime cause, while wind and intrusions of open-ocean water modulate the severity and extent of low-oxygen conditions.
Tamar Guy-Haim, Maxim Rubin-Blum, Eyal Rahav, Natalia Belkin, Jacob Silverman, and Guy Sisma-Ventura
Biogeosciences, 17, 5489–5511, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5489-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5489-2020, 2020
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The availability of nutrients in oligotrophic marine ecosystems is limited. Following jellyfish blooms, large die-off events result in the release of high amounts of nutrients to the water column and sediment. Our study assessed the decomposition effects of an infamous invasive jellyfish in the ultra-oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Sea. We found that jellyfish decomposition favored heterotrophic bacteria and altered biogeochemical fluxes, further impoverishing this nutrient-poor ecosystem.
Chantal Mears, Helmuth Thomas, Paul B. Henderson, Matthew A. Charette, Hugh MacIntyre, Frank Dehairs, Christophe Monnin, and Alfonso Mucci
Biogeosciences, 17, 4937–4959, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4937-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4937-2020, 2020
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Major research initiatives have been undertaken within the Arctic Ocean, highlighting this area's global importance and vulnerability to climate change. In 2015, the international GEOTRACES program addressed this importance by devoting intense research activities to the Arctic Ocean. Among various tracers, we used radium and carbonate system data to elucidate the functioning and vulnerability of the hydrographic regime of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, bridging the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
Lennart Thomas Bach, Allanah Joy Paul, Tim Boxhammer, Elisabeth von der Esch, Michelle Graco, Kai Georg Schulz, Eric Achterberg, Paulina Aguayo, Javier Arístegui, Patrizia Ayón, Isabel Baños, Avy Bernales, Anne Sophie Boegeholz, Francisco Chavez, Gabriela Chavez, Shao-Min Chen, Kristin Doering, Alba Filella, Martin Fischer, Patricia Grasse, Mathias Haunost, Jan Hennke, Nauzet Hernández-Hernández, Mark Hopwood, Maricarmen Igarza, Verena Kalter, Leila Kittu, Peter Kohnert, Jesus Ledesma, Christian Lieberum, Silke Lischka, Carolin Löscher, Andrea Ludwig, Ursula Mendoza, Jana Meyer, Judith Meyer, Fabrizio Minutolo, Joaquin Ortiz Cortes, Jonna Piiparinen, Claudia Sforna, Kristian Spilling, Sonia Sanchez, Carsten Spisla, Michael Sswat, Mabel Zavala Moreira, and Ulf Riebesell
Biogeosciences, 17, 4831–4852, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4831-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4831-2020, 2020
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The eastern boundary upwelling system off Peru is among Earth's most productive ocean ecosystems, but the factors that control its functioning are poorly constrained. Here we used mesocosms, moored ~ 6 km offshore Peru, to investigate how processes in plankton communities drive key biogeochemical processes. We show that nutrient and light co-limitation keep productivity and export at a remarkably constant level while stoichiometry changes strongly with shifts in plankton community structure.
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Short summary
Increasing human-derived nutrient inputs to coastal oceans lead to spreading dead zones around the world. Here a biogeochemical model for the northern Gulf of Mexico, where nutrients from the Mississippi River create the largest dead zone in North American coastal waters, is used for the first time to show the effects of single and dual nutrient reductions of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Significant reductions in N or N&P load would be required to significantly reduce hypoxia in this system.
Increasing human-derived nutrient inputs to coastal oceans lead to spreading dead zones around...
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