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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Carbon Outwelling and Uptake Along a Tidal Glacier‐Lagoon‐Ocean Continuum
Journal of geophysical research. Biogeosciences, Vol.129(6), e2023JG007895
06/2024
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Abstract
Tidewater glaciers are highly vulnerable to climate change due to warming from both atmospheric and seawater sources. Most tidewater glaciers are rapidly retreating, but little is known about how glacial melting modifies coastal biogeochemical cycles. Here, we investigate carbonate and nutrient dynamics and fluxes in an expanding proglacial tidal lagoon connected to Europe's largest glacier in Iceland (Vatnajökull). The lagoon N:P:Si ratios (2:1:30) imply a system deficient in nitrogen. The large variations in the freshwater endmembers highlighted the complexity of resolving sources and transformations. The lagoon acted as a sink of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). Floating chamber incubations revealed a CO2 uptake of 26 ± 15 mmol m−2 d−1. Lagoon waters near the glacier had a 170% higher CO2 uptake than near the lagoon mouth, likely driven by primary production stimulated by nitrogen-rich bottom water upwelling. The lateral DIC and total alkalinity (TA) flux rates (outwelling) from the lagoon to the ocean were −1.5 ± 0.1 (export to ocean) and 23 ± 5 mmol m−2 d−1 (import into the lagoon) respectively. All samples were undersaturated with respect to aragonite due to glacial meltwater dilution of TA and CO2 uptake. This implies dilution of oceanic alkalinity, lowering the nearshore buffering capacity against ocean acidification.
Details
- Title
- Carbon Outwelling and Uptake Along a Tidal Glacier‐Lagoon‐Ocean Continuum
- Creators
- Wilma Ljungberg - University of GothenburgYvonne Y. Y. Yau - University of GothenburgAlex Cabral - University of GothenburgClaudia Majtényi-Hill - University of GothenburgLinnea Henriksson - University of GothenburgTristan McKenzie - University of GothenburgAngel Ruiz-Angulo - University of IcelandBeata Szymczycha - Instytut Oceanologii Polskiej Akademii NaukThorsten Dittmar - Carl von Ossietzky Universität OldenburgIna Ulber - Carl von Ossietzky Universität OldenburgIsaac R. Santos - University of Gothenburg
- Publication Details
- Journal of geophysical research. Biogeosciences, Vol.129(6), e2023JG007895
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
- Number of pages
- 20
- Grant note
- The Swedish Research Council (2020‐00457)
- Identifiers
- 991013204177502368
- Copyright
- © 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article