Seasonal Variability of Dissolved Methane in the Shallow Coastal Zone: The Case Study of the Golubaya Bay, Northeastern Part of the Black Sea

The variability of the dissolved methane content in coastal zones is an important component of the biogeochemical cycle in the marine ecosystem. The objective of this study is to investigate the seasonal variability of dissolved methane distribution in the aerobic shallow coastal zone through the ex...

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Main Authors: Elena S. Izhitskaya, Alexander V. Egorov, Peter O. Zavialov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-12-01
Series:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/12/2284
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author Elena S. Izhitskaya
Alexander V. Egorov
Peter O. Zavialov
author_facet Elena S. Izhitskaya
Alexander V. Egorov
Peter O. Zavialov
author_sort Elena S. Izhitskaya
collection DOAJ
description The variability of the dissolved methane content in coastal zones is an important component of the biogeochemical cycle in the marine ecosystem. The objective of this study is to investigate the seasonal variability of dissolved methane distribution in the aerobic shallow coastal zone through the example of the small bay in the northeastern Black Sea. This study is based on the direct observations carried out during a long-term monitoring program conducted in the bay from 1999 to 2016. The seasonal and inter-annual variability of the dissolved methane pattern is considered under the climatic conditions as well as under the influence of extreme flood. The seasonal range of the dissolved methane content variability in the shallow part of the northeastern Black Sea is 1–2 orders of magnitude higher compared with the areas remote from the coast. The dissolved methane content in Golubaya Bay in summer is an order of magnitude higher than the winter values. In particular, local methane maxima located near the river and stream mouths and in the central bottom part of the bay have a well-shown seasonal cycle. The extreme flood conditions observed in July 2012 resulted in high methane concentrations 2 months after the flood event, when the surface concentrations of the dissolved CH<sub>4</sub> exceeded the equilibrium with the atmospheric values by a factor of 400. The obtained results provide a unique opportunity to estimate the scale of the biogeochemical processes in marine coastal environments under the influence of climatic and extreme conditions.
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spelling doaj.art-1bf8d71d3d7c430487a00ab003b84f992023-12-22T14:18:48ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122023-12-011112228410.3390/jmse11122284Seasonal Variability of Dissolved Methane in the Shallow Coastal Zone: The Case Study of the Golubaya Bay, Northeastern Part of the Black SeaElena S. Izhitskaya0Alexander V. Egorov1Peter O. Zavialov2Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36 Nakhimovsky Prosp., Moscow 117997, RussiaShirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36 Nakhimovsky Prosp., Moscow 117997, RussiaShirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36 Nakhimovsky Prosp., Moscow 117997, RussiaThe variability of the dissolved methane content in coastal zones is an important component of the biogeochemical cycle in the marine ecosystem. The objective of this study is to investigate the seasonal variability of dissolved methane distribution in the aerobic shallow coastal zone through the example of the small bay in the northeastern Black Sea. This study is based on the direct observations carried out during a long-term monitoring program conducted in the bay from 1999 to 2016. The seasonal and inter-annual variability of the dissolved methane pattern is considered under the climatic conditions as well as under the influence of extreme flood. The seasonal range of the dissolved methane content variability in the shallow part of the northeastern Black Sea is 1–2 orders of magnitude higher compared with the areas remote from the coast. The dissolved methane content in Golubaya Bay in summer is an order of magnitude higher than the winter values. In particular, local methane maxima located near the river and stream mouths and in the central bottom part of the bay have a well-shown seasonal cycle. The extreme flood conditions observed in July 2012 resulted in high methane concentrations 2 months after the flood event, when the surface concentrations of the dissolved CH<sub>4</sub> exceeded the equilibrium with the atmospheric values by a factor of 400. The obtained results provide a unique opportunity to estimate the scale of the biogeochemical processes in marine coastal environments under the influence of climatic and extreme conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/12/2284methane productioncoastal watersextreme floodbiogeochemical cyclemethane paradoxaerobic conditions
spellingShingle Elena S. Izhitskaya
Alexander V. Egorov
Peter O. Zavialov
Seasonal Variability of Dissolved Methane in the Shallow Coastal Zone: The Case Study of the Golubaya Bay, Northeastern Part of the Black Sea
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
methane production
coastal waters
extreme flood
biogeochemical cycle
methane paradox
aerobic conditions
title Seasonal Variability of Dissolved Methane in the Shallow Coastal Zone: The Case Study of the Golubaya Bay, Northeastern Part of the Black Sea
title_full Seasonal Variability of Dissolved Methane in the Shallow Coastal Zone: The Case Study of the Golubaya Bay, Northeastern Part of the Black Sea
title_fullStr Seasonal Variability of Dissolved Methane in the Shallow Coastal Zone: The Case Study of the Golubaya Bay, Northeastern Part of the Black Sea
title_full_unstemmed Seasonal Variability of Dissolved Methane in the Shallow Coastal Zone: The Case Study of the Golubaya Bay, Northeastern Part of the Black Sea
title_short Seasonal Variability of Dissolved Methane in the Shallow Coastal Zone: The Case Study of the Golubaya Bay, Northeastern Part of the Black Sea
title_sort seasonal variability of dissolved methane in the shallow coastal zone the case study of the golubaya bay northeastern part of the black sea
topic methane production
coastal waters
extreme flood
biogeochemical cycle
methane paradox
aerobic conditions
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/12/2284
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AT peterozavialov seasonalvariabilityofdissolvedmethaneintheshallowcoastalzonethecasestudyofthegolubayabaynortheasternpartoftheblacksea