Carbonate fluxes discharged from Changjiang Estuary to the East China Sea, and its effects and fate

What is it about?

We examined riverine/estuarine transport fluxes of total alkalinity (TAlk) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the continuum from the Lower Changjiang to its estuary and to the adjacent northwestern East China Sea. Also we examined biogeochemical effects and the fate of this terrestrial carbonate system on the inner shelf.

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Why is it important?

The Changjiang TAlk flux varied around a nearly stable average over the past 55 years, which was much different from the American case of century‐long TAlk increase in some rivers. Terrestrial carbonate inputs decreased the freshwater‐dilution‐induced carbonate mineral suppression in coastal zones. Biological drawdown of riverine DIC transformed the terrestrial feature of DIC:TAlk ratio higher than 1.0 to the usual seawater feature of DIC:TAlk ratio less than 0.9.

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