Potential impact of DOM accumulation on fCO2 and carbonate ion computations in ocean acidification experiments ...

• Main Authors: Koeve, Wolfgang, Oschlies, Andreas
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2014
• Subjects: Biological Impacts of Ocean Acidification BIOACID; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.829379; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.829379

Culture and mesocosm experiments are often carried out under high initial nutrient concentrations, yielding high biomass concentrations that in turn often lead to a substantial build-up of DOM. In such experiments, DOM can reach concentrations much higher than typically observed in the open ocean. To the extent that DOM includes organic acids and bases, it will contribute to the alkalinity of the seawater contained in the experimental device. Our analysis suggests that whenever substantial amounts of DOM are produced during the experiment, standard computer programmes used to compute CO2 fugacity can underestimate true fCO2 significantly when the computation is based on AT and CT. Unless the effect of DOM-alkalinity can be accounted for, this might lead to significant errors in the interpretation of the system under consideration with respect to the experimentally applied CO2 perturbation. Errors in the inferred fCO2 can misguide the development of parameterisations used in simulations with global carbon ... : The paper is a theoretical and modelling study. We note that the data provided through this reposity are output from models described in the paper and do not constitute in situ measurements or experimental data. ...