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Research on Carbon Cycling in the Baltic: Discussion

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Carbon Cycling in the Baltic Sea

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Abstract

The carbon fluxes quantified in chapter “Research on Carbon Cycling in the Baltic: Quantification of the Carbon Fluxes” give a complete outlook of the carbon sources (positive values) and sinks (negative values) in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic carbon cycle is characterized by a balance between carbon inflows and outflows to/from the basin. Thus, quantifying carbon fluxes and substituting appropriate values, one gets the total carbon inflow exceeding the total outflow by 1.14 Tg C year−1. The obtained difference is associated with the CO2 net exchange between the seawater and the atmosphere. Therefore, the estimates indicate the Baltic Sea as a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere amounting to −1.14 Tg C year−1, which corresponds to −4.18 Tg CO2 year−1.

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  1. Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstancow Warszawy 55, 81-712, Sopot, Poland

    Karol Kuliński & Janusz Pempkowiak

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Kuliński, K., Pempkowiak, J. (2012). Research on Carbon Cycling in the Baltic: Discussion. In: Carbon Cycling in the Baltic Sea. Geoplanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19388-0_5

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