Spatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the Lena River, Siberia

Global warming in permafrost areas is expected to change fluxes of riverine organic carbon (OC) to the Arctic Ocean. Here OC concentrations, stable carbon isotope signatures (δ 13 C), and carbon-nitrogen ratios (C/N) are presented from 22 sampling stations in the Lena River and 40 of its tributaries...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kutscher, L, Mörth, C, Porcelli, D, Hirst, C, Maximov, T, Petrov, R, Andersson, P
Format: Journal article
Published: Wiley 2017
_version_ 1826293046905405440
author Kutscher, L
Mörth, C
Porcelli, D
Hirst, C
Maximov, T
Petrov, R
Andersson, P
author_facet Kutscher, L
Mörth, C
Porcelli, D
Hirst, C
Maximov, T
Petrov, R
Andersson, P
author_sort Kutscher, L
collection OXFORD
description Global warming in permafrost areas is expected to change fluxes of riverine organic carbon (OC) to the Arctic Ocean. Here OC concentrations, stable carbon isotope signatures (δ 13 C), and carbon-nitrogen ratios (C/N) are presented from 22 sampling stations in the Lena River and 40 of its tributaries. Sampling was conducted during two expeditions: the first in July 2012 in the south and southeastern region and the second in June 2013 in the northern region of the Lena basin. The data showed significant spatial differences in concentrations and major sources of OC. Mean subcatchment slopes were correlated with OC concentrations, implying that mountainous areas in general had lower concentrations than lowland areas. δ 13 C and C/N data from tributaries originating in mountainous areas indicated that both dissolved and particulate OC (DOC and POC) were mainly derived from soil organic matter (SOM). In contrast, tributaries originating in lowland areas had larger contributions from fresh vegetation to DOC, while aquatically produced OC was the major source of POC. We suggest that these differences in dominant sources indicated differences in dominant flow pathways. Tributaries with larger influence of fresh vegetation probably had surficial flow pathways, while tributaries with more SOM influence had deeper water flow pathways. Thus, the future export of OC to the Arctic Ocean will likely be controlled by changes in spatial patterns in hydroclimatology and the depth of the active layers influencing the dominant water flow pathways in Arctic river basins.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T03:24:03Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:b8697d4e-5261-4eb4-b7dc-29a366d5c06e
institution University of Oxford
last_indexed 2024-03-07T03:24:03Z
publishDate 2017
publisher Wiley
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:b8697d4e-5261-4eb4-b7dc-29a366d5c06e2022-03-27T04:55:46ZSpatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the Lena River, SiberiaJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:b8697d4e-5261-4eb4-b7dc-29a366d5c06eSymplectic Elements at OxfordWiley2017Kutscher, LMörth, CPorcelli, DHirst, CMaximov, TPetrov, RAndersson, PGlobal warming in permafrost areas is expected to change fluxes of riverine organic carbon (OC) to the Arctic Ocean. Here OC concentrations, stable carbon isotope signatures (δ 13 C), and carbon-nitrogen ratios (C/N) are presented from 22 sampling stations in the Lena River and 40 of its tributaries. Sampling was conducted during two expeditions: the first in July 2012 in the south and southeastern region and the second in June 2013 in the northern region of the Lena basin. The data showed significant spatial differences in concentrations and major sources of OC. Mean subcatchment slopes were correlated with OC concentrations, implying that mountainous areas in general had lower concentrations than lowland areas. δ 13 C and C/N data from tributaries originating in mountainous areas indicated that both dissolved and particulate OC (DOC and POC) were mainly derived from soil organic matter (SOM). In contrast, tributaries originating in lowland areas had larger contributions from fresh vegetation to DOC, while aquatically produced OC was the major source of POC. We suggest that these differences in dominant sources indicated differences in dominant flow pathways. Tributaries with larger influence of fresh vegetation probably had surficial flow pathways, while tributaries with more SOM influence had deeper water flow pathways. Thus, the future export of OC to the Arctic Ocean will likely be controlled by changes in spatial patterns in hydroclimatology and the depth of the active layers influencing the dominant water flow pathways in Arctic river basins.
spellingShingle Kutscher, L
Mörth, C
Porcelli, D
Hirst, C
Maximov, T
Petrov, R
Andersson, P
Spatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the Lena River, Siberia
title Spatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the Lena River, Siberia
title_full Spatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the Lena River, Siberia
title_fullStr Spatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the Lena River, Siberia
title_full_unstemmed Spatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the Lena River, Siberia
title_short Spatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the Lena River, Siberia
title_sort spatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the lena river siberia
work_keys_str_mv AT kutscherl spatialvariationinconcentrationandsourcesoforganiccarboninthelenariversiberia
AT morthc spatialvariationinconcentrationandsourcesoforganiccarboninthelenariversiberia
AT porcellid spatialvariationinconcentrationandsourcesoforganiccarboninthelenariversiberia
AT hirstc spatialvariationinconcentrationandsourcesoforganiccarboninthelenariversiberia
AT maximovt spatialvariationinconcentrationandsourcesoforganiccarboninthelenariversiberia
AT petrovr spatialvariationinconcentrationandsourcesoforganiccarboninthelenariversiberia
AT anderssonp spatialvariationinconcentrationandsourcesoforganiccarboninthelenariversiberia