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CO2 flux and seasonal variability in the turbidity maximum zone and surrounding area in the Changjiang River estuary

  • Chemistry
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Abstract

The turbidity maximum zone (TMZ) is one of the most important regions in an estuary. However, the high concentration of suspended material makes it difficult to measure the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in these regions. Therefore, very little data is available on the pCO2 levels in TMZs. To relatively accurately evaluate the CO2 flux in an example estuary, we studied the TMZ and surrounding area in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary. From seasonal cruises during February, August, November 2010, and May 2012, the pCO2 in the TMZ and surrounding area was calculated from pH and total alkalinity (TA) measured in situ, from which the CO2 flux was calculated. Overall, the TMZ and surrounding area acted as a source of atmosphere CO2 in February and November, and as a sink in May and August. The average FCO2 was −9, −16, 5, and 5 mmol/(m2·d) in May, August, November, and February, respectively. The TMZ’s role as a source or sink of atmosphere CO2 was quite different to the outer estuary. In the TMZ and surrounding area, suspended matter, phytoplankton, and pH were the main factors controlling the FCO2, but here the influence of temperature, salinity, and total alkalinity on the FCO2 was weak. Organic carbon decomposition in suspended matter was the main reason for the region acting as a CO2 source in winter, and phytoplankton production was the main reason the region was a CO2 sink in summer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oceanography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China

    Xuegang Li  (李学刚), Jinming Song  (宋金明), Huamao Yuan  (袁华茂), Ning Li  (李宁), Liqin Duan  (段丽琴) & Baoxiao Qu  (曲宝晓)

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  1. Xuegang Li  (李学刚)
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  2. Jinming Song  (宋金明)
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  3. Huamao Yuan  (袁华茂)
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  4. Ning Li  (李宁)
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  5. Liqin Duan  (段丽琴)
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  6. Baoxiao Qu  (曲宝晓)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jinming Song  (宋金明).

Additional information

Supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. XDA05030402), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. U1406403, 41121064, 41376092), and the Public Science and Technology Research Funds Projects of Ocean (No. 200905012-9)

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Li, X., Song, J., Yuan, H. et al. CO2 flux and seasonal variability in the turbidity maximum zone and surrounding area in the Changjiang River estuary. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 33, 222–232 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-014-3282-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-014-3282-4

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