Advances in Earth Science ›› 2015, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (5): 564-578. doi: 10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2015.05.564

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Distribution and Budget of Organic Carbon in the Bohai and Yellow Seas

Jun Liu 1, 2, Zhigang Yu 1, Jiaye Zang 2, Tao Sun 2, Chenying Zhao 2, Xiangbin Ran 2   

  1. 1.Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
    2.Research Center for Marine Ecology, First nstitute of oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao 266061, China
  • Online:2015-06-09 Published:2015-05-06

Jun Liu, Zhigang Yu, Jiaye Zang, Tao Sun, Chenying Zhao, Xiangbin Ran. Distribution and Budget of Organic Carbon in the Bohai and Yellow Seas[J]. Advances in Earth Science, 2015, 30(5): 564-578.

Ocean margin is recognized as a most important area for land-sea interaction and also one of the major sinks of organic carbon, which plays a very important role in global biogeochemical cycles of carbon. Based on the comprehensive investigation in the Bohai and Yellow Seas in May and November, 2012 and other available data, distributions of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) and sedimentary Total Organic Carbon (TOC) were discussed, and fluxes and fates of organic carbon in the Bohai and Yellow Seas were estimated. The results show that DOC is the dominate form of organic carbon in the Bohai and Yellow Seas. DOC and POC distributions show a gradient decline trend from nearshore zone to offshore area, and the components of POC is consisted of both terrestrial and marine matters. High content of TOC in sediments distributes in accordance with estuaries and mud areas. Results of budget of organic carbon show that the major sources of organic carbon is phytoplankton related production with a flux of (6 760±971) ×104 t/a, accounting for (74±10)% of total sources, and then the fluxes of sediment resuspension, input from East China Sea, riverine input and atmospheric deposition are (884±200)×104 t/a, (679±107)×104 t/a, (643±63)×104 t/a and (141±39)×104 t/a, with contribution rates of (10±2.2)%, (7.5±1.2)%, (7±0.7)% and (1.5±0.4)%, respectively. Dominate removal of organic carbon in the Bohai and Yellow Seas are biorespiration with a flux of (5 190±746) ×104 t/a, accounting for (57±8.2)% of organic carbon removal, and then the fluxes of organic carbon output to East China Sea, sedimentation and degradation are (2 150±370)×104 t/a, (1 030±225)×104 t/a and (737±191)×104 t/a, with contribution rates of (24±4.1)%, (11±2.5)% and (8.0±2.1)%, respectively. These indicate that the Bohai and Yellow Seas show a potential sink of organic carbon, and about (1.6±0.3)% of organic carbon from external input and authigenic production is preserved in sediment. Budget indicates that the dominate sources are marine authigenic products, while terrestrial inputs play a minor role in the Bohai and Yellow Seas.

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