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Enhanced CO2 uptake of the coastal ocean is dominated by biological carbon fixation

Author

Listed:
  • Moritz Mathis

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon)

  • Fabrice Lacroix

    (University of Bern
    University of Bern)

  • Stefan Hagemann

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon)

  • David Marcolino Nielsen

    (Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology)

  • Tatiana Ilyina

    (Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology)

  • Corinna Schrum

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon
    University of Hamburg)

Abstract

Observational reconstructions indicate a contemporary increase in coastal ocean CO2 uptake. However, the mechanisms and their relative importance in driving this globally intensifying absorption remain unclear. Here we integrate coastal carbon dynamics in a global model via regional grid refinement and enhanced process representation. We find that the increasing coastal CO2 sink is primarily driven by biological responses to climate-induced changes in circulation (36%) and increasing riverine nutrient loads (23%), together exceeding the ocean CO2 solubility pump (41%). The riverine impact is mediated by enhanced export of organic carbon across the shelf break, thereby adding to the carbon enrichment of the open ocean. The contribution of biological carbon fixation increases as the seawater capacity to hold CO2 decreases under continuous climate change and ocean acidification. Our seamless coastal ocean integration advances carbon cycle model realism, which is relevant for addressing impacts of climate change mitigation efforts.

Suggested Citation

  • Moritz Mathis & Fabrice Lacroix & Stefan Hagemann & David Marcolino Nielsen & Tatiana Ilyina & Corinna Schrum, 2024. "Enhanced CO2 uptake of the coastal ocean is dominated by biological carbon fixation," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 14(4), pages 373-379, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:14:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1038_s41558-024-01956-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-024-01956-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jens Terhaar & Ronny Lauerwald & Pierre Regnier & Nicolas Gruber & Laurent Bopp, 2021. "Around one third of current Arctic Ocean primary production sustained by rivers and coastal erosion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
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    3. David Marcolino Nielsen & Patrick Pieper & Armineh Barkhordarian & Paul Overduin & Tatiana Ilyina & Victor Brovkin & Johanna Baehr & Mikhail Dobrynin, 2022. "Increase in Arctic coastal erosion and its sensitivity to warming in the twenty-first century," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 12(3), pages 263-270, March.
    4. J. E. Vonk & L. Sánchez-García & B. E. van Dongen & V. Alling & D. Kosmach & A. Charkin & I. P. Semiletov & O. V. Dudarev & N. Shakhova & P. Roos & T. I. Eglinton & A. Andersson & Ö. Gustafsson, 2012. "Activation of old carbon by erosion of coastal and subsea permafrost in Arctic Siberia," Nature, Nature, vol. 489(7414), pages 137-140, September.
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