Key processes in the coupled carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling of the Baltic Sea

• DOI: 10.1007/s10533-017-0361-6
• Publication Date: 2017-07-30T21:49:09Z
• Authors: Erik Gustafsson; Oleg P. Savchuk; Bo G. Gustafsson; Bärbel Müller-Kar...
• Keywords: Cycling; Carbon fibers; Total inorganic carbon; Nutrient cycle

In this study we examine pools of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in the Baltic Sea, both simulated reconstructed from observations. We further quantify key fluxes C, N, P cycling. Our calculations include pelagic reservoirs as well storage active sediment layer, which allows a complete coverage overall cycling on system-scale. A striking property C versus N is that while external supplies total (TN TP) are largely balanced by internal removal processes, (TC) supply mainly compensated net export out system. other words, inputs TN TP are, contrast to TC, rather efficiently filtered within Sea. Further, there system, but import dissolved inorganic (DIN DIP). There contrary organic fractions TC. While TC dominated compounds, consists because allochthonous poorly degradable. however large basin-wise differences elemental ratios fractions. These reflect differing loads oxygen conditions determining redox-dependent DIN DIP.