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Biogeochemical context impacts seawater pH changes resulting from atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition
Author(s) -
Hagens Mathilde,
Hunter Keith A.,
Liss Peter S.,
Middelburg Jack J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2013gl058796
Subject(s) - biogeochemical cycle , biogeochemistry , environmental chemistry , deposition (geology) , context (archaeology) , seawater , ocean acidification , environmental science , supersaturation , carbon dioxide in earth's atmosphere , nitrogen , atmospheric chemistry , carbon dioxide , oceanography , atmospheric sciences , chemistry , geology , ozone , sediment , paleontology , organic chemistry
Seawater acidification can be induced both by absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and by atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen oxides and ammonia. Their relative significance, interplay, and dependency on water column biogeochemistry are not well understood. Using a simple biogeochemical model we show that the initial conditions of coastal systems are not only relevant for CO 2 ‐induced acidification but also for additional acidification due to atmospheric acid deposition. Coastal areas undersaturated with respect to CO 2 are most vulnerable to CO 2 ‐induced acidification but are relatively least affected by additional atmospheric deposition‐induced acidification. In contrast, the pH of CO 2 ‐supersaturated systems is most sensitive to atmospheric deposition. The projected increment in atmospheric CO 2 by 2100 will increase the sensitivity of coastal systems to atmospheric deposition‐induced acidification by up to a factor 4, but the additional annual change in proton concentration is at most 28%.