Ocean alkalinity destruction by anthropogenic seafloor disturbances generates a hidden CO2 emission
Data files
Mar 13, 2025 version files 70.16 KB
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ATfluxDatabase_v01.xlsx
67.76 KB
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README.md
2.40 KB
Abstract
The seafloor is responsible for 40% of the alkalinity input to the ocean, thus contributing to the ocean’s capacity to sequester atmospheric CO2. Anthropogenic seafloor disturbances induced by mobile bottom-contact fishing (e.g., trawling) and dredging influence this natural carbon sink, yet the human impact on the ocean’s alkalinity cycle remains poorly quantified. Model simulations show that the combined impact of mobile bottom-contact fishing and dredging reduces natural alkalinity generation by 60-220 Geq. yr-1, which is equivalent to a reduction of the natural marine carbon sink by 2-8 Tg CO2 yr-1. Alkalinity destruction by anthropogenic seafloor disturbance hence comprises a hidden CO2 emission, of which the impact is comparable to the estimated inhibition of organic carbon burial. Our analysis emphasizes that carbon accounting in marine systems should consider the anthropogenic impact on both the organic and inorganic carbon cycles.
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2bvq83c18
Description of the data and file structure
Benthic fluxes of total alkalinity and relevant metadata, compiled for validation of the sediment alkalinity model in van de Velde et al., 2024
Files and variables
File: ATfluxDatabase_v01.xlsx
Description: All data
Variables
- Geographical Location
- Type of environment
- Lat - Latitude (deg N)
- Long - Longitude (deg E)
- water depth (in m)
- Sampling year (if reported)
- Sampling season (if reported)
- TC - Temperature (deg Celsius)
- SAL - salinity
- sediment type (if reported) - as reported by the authors
- porosity
- SAR - sediment accumulation rate (if reported)
- PTC - particulate total carbon (wt% C) (if reported)
- POC - particulate organic carbon (wt% C) (if reported)
- PIC - particulate inorganic carbon (wt% C) (if reported)
- BW_O2 - bottom-water oxygen concentration (micromolar) (if reported)
- BW_TA - bottom-water total alkalinity concentration (microeq. per liter) (if reported)
- F_O2 - benthic oxygen flux (mmol m-2 d-1), negative is into the sediment (if reported)
- F_O2_sd - standard deviation of the benthic oxygen flux (mmol m-2 d-1) (if reported)
- F_TA - benthic total alkalinity flux (meq. m-2 d-1), negative is into of the sediment
- F_TA_sd - standard deviation of the benthic total alkalinity flux (meq. m-2 d-1) (if reported)
- F_Ca - benthic dissolved calcium flux (mmol m-2 d-1), negative is into the sediment (if reported)
- F_Ca_sd - standard deviation of the benthic dissolved calcium flux (mmol m-2 d-1) (if reported)
- F_DIC - benthic dissolved inorganic carbon flux (mmol m-2 d-1), negative is into the sediment (if reported)
- F_DIC_sd - standard deviation of the benthic dissolved inorganic carbon flux (mmol m-2 d-1) (if reported)
- flux_method - how was the flux derived (if reported); \
Incubation = ex-situ incubation / Porewater modelling = diffusive flux derived from porewater profiles / Ra budget = flux derived from sediment Ra budget / lander = in-situ incubation with a benthic lander - author
- manuscript title
- journal
- year published
- volume
- page number
- doi
Access information
Data was derived from the following sources:
- Published journal articles