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Abstract The stable isotope ratio of dissolved inorganic carbon (δ13C‐DIC) is a valuable tracer for investigating carbon cycling in aquatic environments. However, its potential remains underutilized due to limited data availability. Fewer than 15% of cruise samples are analyzed forδ13C‐DIC, as isotope analysis using isotope ratio mass spectrometry is labor‐intensive and restricted to onshore laboratories. We present over 3500δ13C‐DIC measurements from the 2023 Global Ocean Ship‐based Hydrographic Investigations Program A16N cruise in the North Atlantic. Notably, three‐quarters of these measurements were conducted onboard using a CO2extraction device coupled with cavity ring‐down spectroscopy, a more efficient and cost‐effective method. This extensive dataset providesδ13C‐DIC values with spatial resolution comparable to other ocean carbonate chemistry and biogeochemical parameters. This dataset supports improved quantification of anthropogenic CO2uptake and storage, and may facilitate the development of algorithms to estimateδ13C‐DIC in under sampled regions.
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Impacts of Carbonate Buffering on Atmospheric Equilibration of CO 2 , δ 13 C DIC , and Δ 14 C DIC in Rivers and Streams
Abstract Rivers and streams play an important role within the global carbon cycle, in part through emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. However, the sources of this CO2and their spatiotemporal variability are difficult to constrain. Recent work has highlighted the role of carbonate buffering reactions that may serve as a source of CO2in high alkalinity systems. In this study, we seek to develop a quantitative framework for the role of carbonate buffering in the fluxes and spatiotemporal patterns of CO2and the stable and radio‐ isotope composition of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). We incorporate DIC speciation calculations of carbon isotopologues into a stream network CO2model and perform a series of simulations, ranging from the degassing of a groundwater seep to a hydrologically‐coupled 5th‐order stream network. We find that carbonate buffering reactions contribute >60% of emissions in high‐alkalinity, moderate groundwater‐CO2environments. However, atmosphere equilibration timescales of CO2are minimally affected, which contradicts hypotheses that carbonate buffering maintains high CO2across Strahler orders in high alkalinity systems. In contrast, alkalinity dramatically increases isotope equilibration timescales, which acts to decouple CO2and DIC variations from the isotopic composition even under low alkalinity. This significantly complicates a common method for carbon source identification. Based on similar impacts on atmospheric equilibration for stable and radio‐ carbon isotopologues, we develop a quantitative method for partitioning groundwater and stream corridor carbon sources in carbonate‐dominated watersheds. Together, these results provide a framework to guide fieldwork and interpretations of stream network CO2patterns across variable alkalinities.
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- PAR ID:
- 10490535
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Global Biogeochemical Cycles
- Volume:
- 38
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0886-6236
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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