Seasonal variations in dissolved organic carbon concentrations and characteristics in a shallow coastal bay

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition and dynamics in temperate shallow coastal bays are not well described although these bays may be important as local sources of organic carbon to ocean waters and are often sites of economically-important fisheries and aquaculture. In this study surface water samples were collected on a monthly to bi-monthly basis over two years from a mid-Atlantic coastal bay (Chincoteague Bay, Virginia and Maryland, USA). Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and light absorbance characteristics were measured on sterile-filtered water, and high-molecular weight (> 1 kDa) dissolved OM (DOM) was isolated to determine stable isotope composition and molecular-level characteristics. Our time series encompassed both a drought year (2002) and a year of above-average rainfall (2003). During the dry year, one of our sites developed a very intense bloom of the brown tide organism Aureococcus anophagefferens while during the wet year there were brown tide bloom events at both of our sampling sites. During early spring of the wet year, there were higher concentrations of > 1 kDa DOC; this fraction represented a larger proportion of overall DOC and appeared considerably more allochthonous. Based upon colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and high-molecular weight DOM analyses, the development of extensive phytoplankton blooms during our sampling period significantly altered the quality of the DOM. Throughout both years Chincoteague Bay had high DOC concentrations relative to values reported for the coastal ocean. This observation, in conjunction with the observed effects of phytoplankton blooms on DOM composition, indicates that Chincoteague Bay may be a significant local source of “recently-fixed” organic carbon to shelf waters. Estimating inputs of DOC from Chincoteague Bay to the Mid-Atlantic Bight suggests that shallow productive bays should be considered in studies of organic carbon on continental shelves.     

Nitrogen isotopic discrimination by water column nitrification in a shallow coastal environment

Temporal changes in nitrogen isotopic composition (δ¹⁵N) of the NO₃ ⁻ pool in the water column below the pycnocline in Ise Bay, Japan were investigated to evaluate the effect of nitrification on the change in the δ¹⁵N in the water column. The δ¹⁵N of NO₃ ⁻ in the lower layers varied from −8.5‰ in May to +8.4‰ in July in response to the development of seasonal hypoxia and conversion from NH₄ ⁺ to NO₃ ⁻. The significantly ¹⁵N-depleted NO₃ ⁻ in May most likely arose from nitrification in the water column. The calculated apparent isotopic discrimination for water column nitrification (ɛ_nit = δ¹⁵N_substrate − δ¹⁵N_product) was 24.5‰, which lies within the range of previous laboratory-based estimates. Though prominent deficits of NO₃ ⁻ from hypoxic bottom waters due to denitrification were revealed in July, the isotopic discrimination of denitrification in the sediments was low (ɛ_denit = ∼1‰). δ¹⁵N_NO3 in the hypoxic lower layer mainly reflects the isotopic effect of water column nitrification, given that water column nitrification is not directly linked with sedimentary denitrification and the effect of sedimentary denitrification on the change in δ¹⁵N_NO3 is relatively small.     

Distribution of inorganic phosphate and dissolved oxygen and their relationship in the coastal upwelling area off Zhejiang

The change and distribution of inorganic phosphate and dissolved oxygen content in sea water pos-sess a certuin regularity and correlation, which are closely related to the direct influence of biologicalactivities. During the period of phytoplankton bloom, phosphate content may be exhausted and, at thesame time, oxygen content in sea water increases in the euphotic layer. With the decomposition of or-ganic matter, phosphate content increases and oxygen content decreases in the deeper layer. In addi-tion, the upwelling carries the "new" nutrients to the euphotic layer, which provides advantageous     

Photobleaching of fluorescence and the organic carbon concentration in a coastal environment

In order to investigate the photobleaching potential of estuarine waters from different depths and redox conditions and with varying degree of biological activity, filtered, unfiltered and chloroform-poisoned water samples from the Baltic Sea were exposed to ambient sunlight. Fluorescence, at excitation 350 nm and emission 450 nm, was used as an indication of humic substance concentration. Fluorescence and organic carbon concentration were measured at regular time intervals during light exposure. We found that the decrease in humic substance fluorescence can be fitted to an exponential decay function. The fluorescence half-lives were within the range 0.4 – 4.6 days in different water masses, with fluorescence decreasing to between 20% and 60% of initial concentration, respectively. Results from the curve fitting procedure indicate a rest concentration of humic substance fluorescence, similar among the sampled sites, that is resistant to further photochemical degradation. The largest relative decreases in fluorescence were found in deep waters, but samples from deep waters also had a higher fluorescence rest concentration than samples from surface waters. Biological activity was reduced by filtering the samples through 0.2μm pore size filters or adding chloroform. No statistically significant differences were found after 3 days of irradiation between samples with and without treatment to reduce biological activity. The highest initial fluorescence values and the largest fluorescence decrease were found in the anoxic waters of the Gotland Deep. The organic carbon concentrations decreased 3–7% at all stations. The shortest half-life of humic substance, and the largest decrease in organic carbon concentrations, were found in samples from the northern basins of the Baltic Sea.     

Porewater-derived dissolved inorganic carbon and nutrient fluxes in a saltmarsh of the Changjiang River Estuary

Saltmarshes are one of the most productive ecosystems, which contribute significantly to coastal nutrient and carbon budgets. However, limited information is available on soil nutrient and carbon losses via porewater exchange in saltmarshes. Here, porewater exchange and associated fluxes of nutrients and dissolved inorganic carbon(DIC) in the largest saltmarsh wetland(Chongming Dongtan) in the Changjiang River Estuary were quantified. Porewater exchange rate was estimated to be(37±35) cm/d during December 2017 using a radon(~(222)Rn) mass balance model. The porewater exchange delivered 67 mmol/(m~2·d), 38 mmol/(m~2·d) and 2 690 mmol/(m~2·d) of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN), dissolved silicon(DSi) and DIC into the coastal waters,respectively. The dominant species of porewater DIN was NH_4~+ (99% of DIN). However, different with those in other ecosystems, the dissolved inorganic phosphorus(DIP) concentration in saltmarsh porewater was significantly lower than that in surface water, indicating that saltmarshes seem to be a DIP sink in Chongming Dongtan. The porewater-derived DIN, DSi and DIC accounted for 12%, 5% and 18% of the riverine inputs, which are important components of coastal nutrient and carbon budgets. Furthermore, porewater-drived nutrients had obviously high N/P ratios(160–3 995), indicating that the porewater exchange process may change the nutrient characteristics of the Changjiang River Estuary and further alter the coastal ecological environment.     

Isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon in subsurface sediments of gas hydrate-bearing mud volcanoes, Lake Baikal: implications for methane and carbonate origin

We report on the isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in pore-water samples recovered by gravity coring from near-bottom sediments at gas hydrate-bearing mud volcanoes/gas flares (Malenky, Peschanka, Peschanka 2, Goloustnoe, and Irkutsk) in the Southern Basin of Lake Baikal. The δ¹³C values of DIC become heavier with increasing subbottom depth, and vary between ?9.5 and +21.4‰ PDB. Enrichment of DIC in ¹³C indicates active methane generation in anaerobic environments near the lake bottom. These data confirm our previous assumption that crystallization of carbonates (siderites) in subsurface sediments is a result of methane generation. Types of methanogenesis (microbial methyl-type fermentation versus CO₂-reduction) were revealed by determining the offset of δ¹³C between dissolved CH₄ and CO₂, and also by using δ¹³C and δD values of dissolved methane present in the pore waters. Results show that both mechanisms are most likely responsible for methane generation at the investigated locations.     

Time-series observation of dissolved inorganic carbon and nutrients in the northwestern North Pacific

Time-series measurements of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and nutrient concentrations were conducted in the northwestern North Pacific from October 2002 to August 2004. Assuming that data obtained in different years represented time-series seasonal data for a single year, vertical distributions of DIC and nutrients showed large seasonal variabilities in the surface layer (∼100 m). Seasonal variabilities in normalized DIC (nDIC) and nitrate concentrations at the sea surface were estimated to be 81–113 μmol kg⁻¹ and 12.7–15.7 μmol kg⁻¹, respectively, in the Western Subarctic Gyre. The variability in nutrients between May and July was generally at least double that in other seasons. In the Western Subarctic Gyre, estimations based on statistical analyses revealed that seasonal new production was 39–61 gC m⁻² and tended to be higher in the southwestern regions or coastal regions. The seasonal new productions in the northwestern North Pacific were two or more times higher than in the North Pacific subtropical gyre and the northeastern North Pacific. It is likely that this difference is due to spatial variations in the concentrations of trace metals and the species of phytoplankton present. In addition, from estimations of surface pCO₂ it was verified that the Western Subarctic Gyre is a source of atmospheric CO₂ between February and May and a sink for CO₂ between July and October.     

深圳东部近岸海域溶解氧的时空分布特征

根据2012—2016年的9个浮标自动监测数据, 分析了深圳东部近岸海域溶解氧浓度的时空分布特征及其与主要水质参数的相关关系。结果表明, 大亚湾海域溶解氧浓度含量在2.15~14.86mg·L^-1之间, 平均值为7.31mg·L^-1, 大鹏湾海域整体表层溶解氧浓度范围为1.43~15.61mg·L^-1, 平均值为7.13mg·L^-1; 在时间分布上, 深圳东部海域溶解氧含量呈现白天高于夜间, 春、夏、秋季低, 冬季高的趋势; 在空间分布上, 深圳东部海域溶解氧含量呈现出夏秋季大亚湾高于大鹏湾, 春冬季大亚湾和大鹏湾相差不大的特点。Pearson相关性分析表明, 该海区溶解氧含量与温度、盐度、浊度及叶绿素a存在显著的线性相关性, 且相关关系呈现出随季节变化的差异性。     

基于海水环境和气象参数经验公式估算的东海海-气CO2通量

使用World Ocean Altas 2009提供的气候态月平均温度、盐度和磷酸盐浓度资料,以及Globalview和NCEP的大气资料,借助较为可靠的经验公式,估算了东海海表CO2分压(pCO2)和海-气CO2通量的平均分布特征和季节变化。结果表明,pCO2的空间分布形态四季大体相同,但其强度随季节变化,春、冬季低,夏、秋季高。CO2通量在东海陆架区为汇,汇的强度从NW向SE逐渐减弱;在黑潮区为源,强度从SW向NE逐渐减弱。东海整体于春、冬季为CO2的汇,夏、秋季为CO2的源。进一步分析东海pCO2和CO2通量季节变化的主要影响因子表明,东海海表pCO2变化主要受温度控制,而在陆架区,盐度和磷酸盐的作用不可忽略。东海整体CO2通量变化在4至10月由风速主导,11月至翌年3月由海表pCO2控制;陆架区CO2通量的季节变化主要由风速决定;黑潮区CO2通量的变化在夏季由风速主导,秋季由风速和pCO2共同影响。     

Microbial availability and degradation of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in two coastal areas

Microbial availability and degradation rates of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) were estimated at two coastal stations (Horsens Fjord and Darss Sill) in Denmark, by measuring the decrease in DOC and DON concentrations during long-term laboratory incubations (150 days). The experiments used two different treatments: one only receiving a microbial inoculum and another additionally to the inoculum, carbon and phosphate to ensure nitrogen limitation. The additions of carbon and phosphate led to increased DON bioavailability in all experiments. The incubations showed that bioavailable DOC (BDOC) accounted for 22 ± 13% of total DOC in Horsens Fjord and 14 ± 5% at Darss Sill. Bioavailable DON (BDON) accounted for 43 ± 10% (Horsens Fjord) and 28 ± 12% of DON (Darss Sill). The linear relations between BDOM and DOM suggested that the DOC variations in Horsens Fjord were controlled by the available fraction, while this was only partly the case for DOC at Darss Sill and DON (both stations), showing that the refractory pool to some degree controlled the seasonal variations in DOM at these coastal stations. Additionally we found that DOC and DON were cycled at approximately the same speed, probably due to a high carbon demand of the microbial community. Calculating the amounts of DON degraded within the two areas using the obtained decay rates showed that compared with the ambient inorganic nitrogen levels BDON contained a large proportion (52 ± 37%, Horsens Fjord and 74 ± 19%, Darss Sill) of the bioavailable nitrogen (BDON + DIN). These calculations further suggested that bioavailable DOM was washed out of the respective areas and could contribute to heterotrophic growth in adjacent waters.     

Precision of high-resolution multibeam echo sounding coupled with high-accuracy positioning in a shallow water coastal environment

Over 4 years, repetitive bathymetric measurements of a shipwreck in the Grådyb tidal inlet channel in the Danish Wadden Sea were carried out using a state-of-the-art high-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) coupled with a real-time long range kinematic (LRK?) global positioning system. Seven measurements during a single survey in 2003 (n=7) revealed a horizontal and vertical precision of the MBES system of ±20 and ±2 cm, respectively, at a 95% confidence level. By contrast, four annual surveys from 2002 to 2005 (n=4) yielded a horizontal and vertical precision (at 95% confidence level) of only ±30 and ±8 cm, respectively. This difference in precision can be explained by three main factors: (1) the dismounting of the system between the annual surveys, (2) rougher sea conditions during the survey in 2004 and (3) the limited number of annual surveys. In general, the precision achieved here did not correspond to the full potential of the MBES system, as this could certainly have been improved by an increase in coverage density (soundings/m²), achievable by reducing the survey speed of the vessel. Nevertheless, precision was higher than that reported to date for earlier offshore test surveys using comparable equipment.     

The inorganic carbon system in the coastal upwelling region west of Vancouver Island,Canada

We present inorganic carbon data from the coastal upwelling region west of Vancouver Island, Canada $\text{(∼48.5°}\text{N}\text{,}\text{126°}\text{W}\text{)}$ directly after an upwelling event and during summer downwelling in July 1998. The inner-shelf buoyancy current, the outer-shelf and the slope regions are contrasted for both wind regimes (up- and downwelling). Results show strong biological drawdown of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO₂) in response to upwelling over the outer-shelf. In contrast, measured pCO₂ is exceptionally high $\text{(p}\text{CO}{}_2\text{>1000}\text{ppm}\text{)}$ in the inner-shelf current, where biological uptake of carbon is consistently large. The biological C:N uptake ratio appears to increase when nitrogen becomes limiting (during downwelling), while the POC:PON ratio is relatively constant (slightly lower than the Redfield ratio) suggesting that excess carbon uptake does not go into the POC pool. As expected, large cells dominate where measured primary productivity is greatest. Sub-surface inorganic carbon (and pCO₂) is high over the shelf. We suggest that carbon concentrations may be higher in coastal waters because of remineralization associated with high productivity that is confined to a smaller volume of water by bathymetry. At the coast these sub-surface concentrations are more efficiently mixed into the surface (especially during winter) relative to deeper offshore regions. Thus, despite high primary production, coastal waters may not aid in sequestration of atmospheric carbon.     

Effects of upwelling,tides and biological processes on the inorganic carbon system of a coastal lagoon in Baja California

The role of coastal lagoons and estuaries as sources or sinks of inorganic carbon in upwelling areas has not been fully understood. During the months of May–July, 2005, we studied the dissolved inorganic carbon system in a coastal lagoon of northwestern Mexico during the strongest period of upwelling events. Along the bay, different scenarios were observed for the distributions of pH, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) as a result of different combinations of upwelling intensity and tidal amplitude. DIC concentrations in the outer part of the bay were controlled by mixing processes. At the inner part of the bay DIC was as low as 1800 μmol kg⁻¹, most likely due to high water residence times and seagrass CO₂ uptake. It is estimated that 85% of San Quintín Bay, at the oceanic end, acted as a source of CO₂ to the atmosphere due to the inflow of CO₂-rich upwelled waters from the neighboring ocean with high positive fluxes higher than 30 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹. In contrast, there was a net uptake of CO₂ and HCO₃⁻ by the seagrass bed Zostera marina in the inner part of the bay, so the pCO₂ in this zone was below the equilibrium value and slightly negative CO₂ fluxes of −6 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹. Our positive NEP and ΔDIC values indicate that Bahía San Quintín was a net autotrophic system during the upwelling season during 2005.     

Dissolved organic carbon variability in a shallow coastal marine system (Gulf of Trieste,northern Adriatic Sea)

The variability of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) over days to a multi-year time span has been investigated in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea) over a period of 5 years (January 1999 to December 2003). Samples were collected in a grid of 9 to 12 stations on monthly frequency and in one station on weekly (2003) and daily (1-month) frequency. DOC samples were analyzed by the HTCO method. DOC concentration varied over the five years in the range of 50 to 194 μM with annual median values ranging from 88 to 98 μM. Over the years 1999–2002, DOC showed a clear annual periodicity with winter minima and late summer maxima, higher in 1999 and 2000. During 2003 no seasonality was detected. The absence of DOC seasonality and the lower DOC concentrations during 2003 are most likely related to the drought that characterized the whole year. Accumulation was calculated as the difference between averaged winter minima (59 ± 7 μM) and the monthly averaged integrated value. DOC that had accumulated from spring to summer totally disappeared from the water column in winter when DOC concentrations reached the background value. The Gulf of Trieste, as with the rest of the Northern Adriatic each year, seems to be able to bring back DOC concentrations at low levels despite the significant external (mainly Isonzo River inputs) and internal organic matter loads. DOC concentration exhibited quite wide fluctuations weekly and daily, suggesting there might be DOC of different turnover time through production, consumption, migration and accumulation.     

Strong heat flow variability in an active shallow gas environment, Dnepr palaeo-delta, Black Sea

The Dnepr palaeo-delta on the north-western continental slope of the Black Sea is a prolific seepage zone characterised by a highly variable heat flow ranging from 24 to 88 mW/m². New thermal data were collected at 33 closely spaced stations in order to better understand the apparent relation between heat flow variability and seepage features. Strong relief gradients and associated landslide shaping may explain first-order heat flow variability but, locally, thermal parameters appear to be controlled by fluid and gas migrations. High heat flow anomalies are found at sites where faults and diapirs offer pathways for warm fluid flow from deeper sedimentary levels. Low heat flow is most strongly expressed at ridge crests near seepage sites but is also found where seeps are absent. Reduced heat flow and nonlinear temperature-depth variations are interpreted to result from natural or induced gas ebullition of saturated shallow gas covered by a thin, relatively impermeable sedimentary seal. The presence of sealed gas pockets, in particular at ridge crests, is supported by methane pore-water analysis and a shallow gas front widely observed in the study area.     

Spatio-temporal distribution of dissolved inorganic carbon and net community production in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas

As part of the 2002 Western Arctic Shelf–Basin Interactions (SBI) project, spatio-temporal variability of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) was employed to determine rates of net community production (NCP) for the Chukchi and western Beaufort Sea shelf and slope, and Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean. Seasonal and spatial distributions of DIC were characterized for all water masses (e.g., mixed layer, halocline waters, Atlantic layer, and deep Arctic Ocean) of the Chukchi Sea region during field investigations in spring (5 May–15 June 2002) and summer (15 July–25 August 2002). Between these periods, high rates of phytoplankton production resulted in large drawdown of inorganic nutrients and DIC in the Polar Mixed Layer (PML) and in the shallow depths of the Upper Halocline Layer (UHL). The highest rates of NCP (1000–2850 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) occurred on the shelf in the Barrow Canyon region of the Chukchi Sea and east of Barrow in the western Beaufort Sea. A total NCP rate of 8.9–17.8×10¹² g for the growing season was estimated for the eastern Chukchi Sea shelf and slope region. Very low inorganic nutrient concentrations and low rates of NCP (<15–25 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) estimated for the mixed layer of the adjacent Arctic Ocean basin indicate that this area is perennially oligotrophic.     

Effect of changes in water salinity on ammonium, calcium, dissolved inorganic carbon and influence on water/sediment dynamics

The effect of a sudden increase in salinity from 10 to 37 in porewater concentration and the benthic fluxes of ammonium, calcium and dissolved inorganic carbon were studied in sediments of a small coastal lagoon, the Albufera d'Es Grau (Minorca Island, Spain). The temporal effects of the changes in salinity were examined over 17 days using a single diffusion-reaction model and a mass-balance approach. After the salinity change, NH₄⁺-flux to the water and Ca-flux toward sediments increased (NH₄⁺-flux: 5000–3000 μmol m⁻² d⁻¹ in seawater and 600/250 μmol m⁻² d⁻¹ in brackish water; Ca-flux: −40/−76 meq m⁻² d⁻¹ at S=37 and −13/−10 meq m⁻² d⁻¹ at S=10); however, later NH₄⁺-flux decreased in seawater, reaching values lower than in brackish water. In contrast, Ca-flux presented similar values in both conditions. The fluxes of dissolved inorganic carbon, which were constant at S=10 (55/45 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹), increased during the experiment at S=37 (from 30 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ immediately after salinity increase to 60 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ after 17 days).In brackish conditions, NH₄⁺ and Ca²⁺ fluxes were consistent with a single diffusion-reaction model that assumes a zero-order reaction for NH₄⁺ production and a first-order reaction for Ca²⁺ production. In seawater, this model explained the Ca-flux observed, but did not account for the high initial flux of NH₄⁺.The mass balance for 17 days indicated a higher retention of NH₄⁺ in porewater in the littoral station in seawater conditions (9.5 mmol m⁻² at S=37 and 1.6 mmol m⁻² at S=10) and a significant reduction in the water consumption at both sites (5 mmol m⁻² at S=37; 35/23 mmol m⁻² at S=10). In contrast, accumulation of dissolved inorganic carbon in porewater was lower in seawater incubations (−10/−1 meq m⁻² at S=37; 50/90 meq m⁻² at S=10) and was linked to a higher efflux of CO₂ to the atmosphere, because of calcium carbonate precipitation in water (675/500 meq m⁻²). These results indicate that increased salinity in shallow coastal waters could play a major role in the global carbon cycle.     

Seasonal dissolved inorganic carbon variations in the Greenland Sea and implications for atmospheric CO2 exchange

During the 1993–1995 period of minimal deep convection in the Greenland Sea, the dissolved inorganic carbon concentration within the surface waters varied dramatically on the seasonal time scale, with average summer and winter values of 2064 (±10) and 2150 (±5) μmol kg⁻¹, respectively, indicative of a vigorous annual carbon cycle. In contrast, there was very little interannual variability throughout these three years. While primary production largely depleted the surface nutrient supplies in spring and summer, generating a strong seasonal CO₂ drawdown, a combination of relatively shallow remineralization and mixed-layer deepening brought essentially all of the carbon consumed by photosynthesis back into contact with the atmosphere before winter. This re-release of the inorganic carbon that had been consumed by phytoplankton earlier in the year was more than sufficient to counteract the cooling-induced increase in the carbon carrying capacity of the water during fall and winter, reducing the potential for atmospheric carbon dioxide absorption by the Greenland Sea over the same period.