Changes in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the Mauritanian–Cap Vert upwelling region between 2005 and 2012
Coastal upwellings along the eastern margins of major ocean basins represent regions of large ecological and economic importance due to the high biological productivity. The role of these regions for the global carbon cycle makes them essential in addressing climate change. The physical forcing...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2017-08-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | https://www.biogeosciences.net/14/3859/2017/bg-14-3859-2017.pdf |
| Summary: | Coastal upwellings along the eastern margins of major ocean basins
represent regions of large
ecological and economic importance due to the high biological productivity.
The role of these regions for the global carbon cycle makes them essential in
addressing climate change. The physical forcing of upwelling processes that
favor production in these areas are already being affected by global warming,
which will modify the intensity of upwelling and, consequently, the carbon
dioxide cycle. Here, we present monthly high-resolution surface experimental
data for temperature and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in one of the
four most important upwelling regions of the planet, the Mauritanian–Cap
Vert upwelling region, from 2005 to 2012. This data set provides direct
evidence of seasonal and interannual changes in the physical and biochemical
processes. Specifically, we show an upwelling intensification and an increase
of 0.6 Tg yr<sup>−1</sup> in CO<sub>2</sub> outgassing due to increased wind speed,
despite increased primary productivity. This increase in CO<sub>2</sub> outgassing
together with the observed decrease in sea surface temperature at the
location of the Mauritanian Cap Blanc, 21° N, produced a pH rate
decrease of −0.003 ± 0.001 yr<sup>−1</sup>. |
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| ISSN: | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |