Articles | Volume 17, issue 22
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5745-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5745-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
23 Nov 2020
Research article |
| 23 Nov 2020
| 23 Nov 2020
A numerical model study of the main factors contributing to hypoxia and its interannual and short-term variability in the East China Sea
Haiyan Zhang
Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax B3H 4R2, Nova Scotia, Canada
School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax B3H 4R2, Nova Scotia, Canada
Arnaud Laurent
Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax B3H 4R2, Nova Scotia, Canada
Changwei Bian
Physical Oceanography Laboratory/CIMST, Ocean University of China, 266100, Qingdao, China
Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, 266100, Qingdao, China
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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.
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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.
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Stefania A. Ciliberti, Enrique Alvarez Fanjul, Jay Pearlman, Kirsten Wilmer-Becker, Pierre Bahurel, Fabrice Ardhuin, Alain Arnaud, Mike Bell, Segolene Berthou, Laurent Bertino, Arthur Capet, Eric Chassignet, Stefano Ciavatta, Mauro Cirano, Emanuela Clementi, Gianpiero Cossarini, Gianpaolo Coro, Stuart Corney, Fraser Davidson, Marie Drevillon, Yann Drillet, Renaud Dussurget, Ghada El Serafy, Katja Fennel, Marcos Garcia Sotillo, Patrick Heimbach, Fabrice Hernandez, Patrick Hogan, Ibrahim Hoteit, Sudheer Joseph, Simon Josey, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Simone Libralato, Marco Mancini, Pascal Matte, Angelique Melet, Yasumasa Miyazawa, Andrew M. Moore, Antonio Novellino, Andrew Porter, Heather Regan, Laia Romero, Andreas Schiller, John Siddorn, Joanna Staneva, Cecile Thomas-Courcoux, Marina Tonani, Jose Maria Garcia-Valdecasas, Jennifer Veitch, Karina von Schuckmann, Liying Wan, John Wilkin, and Romane Zufic
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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.
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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
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Angela M. Kuhn, Katja Fennel, and Ilana Berman-Frank
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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
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Katja Fennel and Arnaud Laurent
Biogeosciences, 15, 3121–3131, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3121-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3121-2018, 2018
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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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.
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.
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.
Menghong Dong, Xinyu Guo, Takuya Matsuura, Taichi Tebakari, and Jing Zhang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2581, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2581, 2024
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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.
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.
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
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1860, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1860, 2024
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This study examines how microbial community structure, growth, and grazing impact the DOM pool in the Patagonian Shelf. Despite higher phytoplankton biomass, faster-growing bacteria were selectively grazed by protists leading to DOM accumulation, likely due to a reduction in DOM-consuming bacteria and the addition of egestion compounds. Experimental data showed that while bacteria remained as the primarily shapers of DOM quality, grazing pressure impacted on DOM accumulation.
Sören Iwe, Oliver Schmale, and Bernd Schneider
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2049, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2049, 2024
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We present a novel method to quantify N2 fixation by cyanobacteria, crucial in Baltic Sea eutrophication. Our Gas Equilibrium – Membrane-Inlet Mass Spectrometer (GE-MIMS), designed for operation on voluntary observing ships (VOS), enables large-scale monitoring of surface water N2 depletion caused by N2 fixation. Laboratory tests confirm the device’s accuracy and precision, ensuring it can complement current methods and contribute valuable data to better understand N2 fixation in the Baltic Sea.
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.
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
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1632, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1632, 2024
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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 pore-water dataset 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.
Deep S. Banerjee and Jozef Skakala
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.22541/essoar.171405637.76928549/v1, https://doi.org/10.22541/essoar.171405637.76928549/v1, 2024
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Nitrate is a crucial nutrient in oceans. Excess nutrients can trigger uncontrolled algae growth (eutrophication), damaging marine ecosystems. We used a machine learning tool to generate a skilled, gap-free, bi-decadal surface nitrate dataset from sparse observations. This dataset reveals areas on the North West European Shelf at risk of eutrophication, bi-decadal trends in coastal nitrate, and an impact of winter nitrate on spring phytoplankton blooms.
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.
Leissing Frederick, Mauricio A. Urbina, and Ruben Escribano
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-836, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-836, 2024
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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 populations and the marine food web.
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.
Librada Ramírez, Leonardo J. Pozzo-Pirotta, Aja Trebec, Víctor Manzanares-Vázquez, José L. Díez, Javier Arístegui, Ulf Riebesell, Stephen D. Archer, and María Segovia
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-847, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-847, 2024
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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 studied plankton community.
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.
Krysten Rutherford, Katja Fennel, Lina Garcia Suarez, and Jasmin G. John
Biogeosciences, 21, 301–314, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-301-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-301-2024, 2024
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We downscaled two mid-century (~2075) ocean model projections to a high-resolution regional ocean model of the northwest North Atlantic (NA) shelf. In one projection, the NA shelf break current practically disappears; in the other it remains almost unchanged. This leads to a wide range of possible future shelf properties. More accurate projections of coastal circulation features would narrow the range of possible outcomes of biogeochemical projections for shelf regions.
Lennart Thomas Bach
Biogeosciences, 21, 261–277, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-261-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-261-2024, 2024
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Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is a widely considered marine carbon dioxide removal method. OAE aims to accelerate chemical rock weathering, which is a natural process that slowly sequesters atmospheric carbon dioxide. This study shows that the addition of anthropogenic alkalinity via OAE can reduce the natural release of alkalinity and, therefore, reduce the efficiency of OAE for climate mitigation. However, the additionality problem could be mitigated via a variety of activities.
Tsuneo Ono, Daisuke Muraoka, Masahiro Hayashi, Makiko Yorifuji, Akihiro Dazai, Shigeyuki Omoto, Takehiro Tanaka, Tomohiro Okamura, Goh Onitsuka, Kenji Sudo, Masahiko Fujii, Ryuji Hamanoue, and Masahide Wakita
Biogeosciences, 21, 177–199, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-177-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-177-2024, 2024
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We carried out parallel year-round observations of pH and related parameters in five stations around the Japan coast. It was found that short-term acidified situations with Omega_ar less than 1.5 occurred at four of five stations. Most of such short-term acidified events were related to the short-term low salinity event, and the extent of short-term pH drawdown at high freshwater input was positively correlated with the nutrient concentration of the main rivers that flow into the coastal area.
K. Mareike Paul, Martijn Hermans, Sami A. Jokinen, Inda Brinkmann, Helena L. Filipsson, and Tom Jilbert
Biogeosciences, 20, 5003–5028, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5003-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5003-2023, 2023
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Seawater naturally contains trace metals such as Mo and U, which accumulate under low oxygen conditions on the seafloor. Previous studies have used sediment Mo and U contents as an archive of changing oxygen concentrations in coastal waters. Here we show that in fjords the use of Mo and U for this purpose may be impaired by additional processes. Our findings have implications for the reliable use of Mo and U to reconstruct oxygen changes in fjords.
Hannah Sharpe, Michel Gosselin, Catherine Lalande, Alexandre Normandeau, Jean-Carlos Montero-Serrano, Khouloud Baccara, Daniel Bourgault, Owen Sherwood, and Audrey Limoges
Biogeosciences, 20, 4981–5001, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4981-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4981-2023, 2023
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We studied the impact of submarine canyon processes within the Pointe-des-Monts system on biogenic matter export and phytoplankton assemblages. Using data from three oceanographic moorings, we show that the canyon experienced two low-amplitude sediment remobilization events in 2020–2021 that led to enhanced particle fluxes in the deep-water column layer > 2.6 km offshore. Sinking phytoplankton fluxes were lower near the canyon compared to background values from the lower St. Lawrence Estuary.
Dewi Langlet, Florian Mermillod-Blondin, Noémie Deldicq, Arthur Bauville, Gwendoline Duong, Lara Konecny, Mylène Hugoni, Lionel Denis, and Vincent M. P. Bouchet
Biogeosciences, 20, 4875–4891, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4875-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4875-2023, 2023
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Benthic foraminifera are single-cell marine organisms which can move in the sediment column. They were previously reported to horizontally and vertically transport sediment particles, yet the impact of their motion on the dissolved fluxes remains unknown. Using microprofiling, we show here that foraminiferal burrow formation increases the oxygen penetration depth in the sediment, leading to a change in the structure of the prokaryotic community.
Masahiko Fujii, Ryuji Hamanoue, Lawrence Patrick Cases Bernardo, Tsuneo Ono, Akihiro Dazai, Shigeyuki Oomoto, Masahide Wakita, and Takehiro Tanaka
Biogeosciences, 20, 4527–4549, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4527-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4527-2023, 2023
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This is the first study of the current and future impacts of climate change on Pacific oyster farming in Japan. Future coastal warming and acidification may affect oyster larvae as a result of longer exposure to lower-pH waters. A prolonged spawning period may harm oyster processing by shortening the shipping period and reducing oyster quality. To minimize impacts on Pacific oyster farming, in addition to mitigation measures, local adaptation measures may be required.
Taketoshi Kodama, Atsushi Nishimoto, Ken-ichi Nakamura, Misato Nakae, Naoki Iguchi, Yosuke Igeta, and Yoichi Kogure
Biogeosciences, 20, 3667–3682, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3667-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3667-2023, 2023
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Carbon and nitrogen are essential elements for organisms; their stable isotope ratios (13C : 12C, 15N : 14N) are useful tools for understanding turnover and movement in the ocean. In the Sea of Japan, the environment is rapidly being altered by human activities. The 13C : 12C of small organic particles is increased by active carbon fixation, and phytoplankton growth increases the values. The 15N : 14N variations suggest that nitrates from many sources contribute to organic production.
Aubin Thibault de Chanvalon, George W. Luther, Emily R. Estes, Jennifer Necker, Bradley M. Tebo, Jianzhong Su, and Wei-Jun Cai
Biogeosciences, 20, 3053–3071, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3053-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3053-2023, 2023
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The intensity of the oceanic trap of CO2 released by anthropogenic activities depends on the alkalinity brought by continental weathering. Between ocean and continent, coastal water and estuaries can limit or favour the alkalinity transfer. This study investigate new interactions between dissolved metals and alkalinity in the oxygen-depleted zone of estuaries.
Joonas J. Virtasalo, Peter Österholm, and Eero Asmala
Biogeosciences, 20, 2883–2901, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2883-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2883-2023, 2023
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We mixed acidic metal-rich river water from acid sulfate soils and seawater in the laboratory to study the flocculation of dissolved metals and organic matter in estuaries. Al and Fe flocculated already at a salinity of 0–2 to large organic flocs (>80 µm size). Precipitation of Al and Fe hydroxide flocculi (median size 11 µm) began when pH exceeded ca. 5.5. Mn transferred weakly to Mn hydroxides and Co to the flocs. Up to 50 % of Cu was associated with the flocs, irrespective of seawater mixing.
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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.
In coastal seas, low oxygen, which is detrimental to coastal ecosystems, is increasingly caused...
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