Time series of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (2001-2004) and preliminary inorganic carbon budget in the Scheldt plume (Belgian coastal waters)

A 4-year time series (2001–2004) of the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and air-sea CO2 fluxes is reported in the Scheldt estuarine plume. This system is oversaturated in CO2 with respect to the atmosphere, except during the spring phytoplanktonic bloom, and acts as a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere of 0.7 mol C m-2 yr-1 that represents 7 to 27% of the inner Scheldt estuary CO2 emission. Results also highlight that a high spatial and temporal coverage of the surface pCO2 in coastal ecosystems is crucial for reliable estimations of air-sea CO2 fluxes. The seasonal variations of pCO2 seem to... Mehr ...