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Groundwater as a major source of dissolved organic matter to Arctic coastal waters

Author

Listed:
  • Craig T. Connolly

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • M. Bayani Cardenas

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Greta A. Burkart

    (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge)

  • Robert G. M. Spencer

    (Florida State University)

  • James W. McClelland

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

Abstract

Groundwater is projected to become an increasing source of freshwater and nutrients to the Arctic Ocean as permafrost thaws, yet few studies have quantified groundwater inputs to Arctic coastal waters under contemporary conditions. New measurements along the Alaska Beaufort Sea coast show that dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen (DOC and DON) concentrations in supra-permafrost groundwater (SPGW) near the land-sea interface are up to two orders of magnitude higher than in rivers. This dissolved organic matter (DOM) is sourced from readily leachable organic matter in surface soils and deeper centuries-to millennia-old soils that extend into thawing permafrost. SPGW delivers approximately 400–2100 m3 of freshwater, 14–71 kg of DOC, and 1–4 kg of DON to the coastal ocean per km of shoreline per day during late summer. These substantial fluxes are expected to increase as massive stocks of frozen organic matter in permafrost are liberated in a warming Arctic.

Suggested Citation

  • Craig T. Connolly & M. Bayani Cardenas & Greta A. Burkart & Robert G. M. Spencer & James W. McClelland, 2020. "Groundwater as a major source of dissolved organic matter to Arctic coastal waters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-15250-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15250-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Carolina Olid & Valentí Rodellas & Gerard Rocher-Ros & Jordi Garcia-Orellana & Marc Diego-Feliu & Aaron Alorda-Kleinglass & David Bastviken & Jan Karlsson, 2022. "Groundwater discharge as a driver of methane emissions from Arctic lakes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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