Climate change and dissolved organic carbon export to the Gulf of Maine

• DOI: 10.1002/2015jg003314
• Publication Date: 2016-09-28T18:46:45Z
• Authors: Thomas G. Huntington; William M. Balch; George R. Aiken; Justin Sheffield; Lifeng Luo; Collin S. Roesler; Philip Camill
• Keywords: Water discharge; Discharge; Representative Concentration Pathways

Abstract Ongoing climate change is affecting the concentration, export (flux), and timing of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) exported to Gulf Maine (GoM) through changes in hydrologic regime. DOC was calculated for water years 1950 2013 20 rivers 1930 14 draining GoM. also estimated 21st century based on modeling a previously published study. by using regression model LOADEST fit seasonally adjusted concentration discharge (C‐Q) relations. Our results are an analysis sensitivity conditions over time since land cover vegetation were held constant time. Despite large interannual variability, all had increasing during winter these trends significant ( p < 0.05) 10 out 13 2013. All annual although fewer statistically than export. Projections variable depending greenhouse gas emission scenario that affected future river effects precipitation evapotranspiration. The most consistent result increase model‐by‐emission scenarios. projected decrease summer scenarios, with decreases half