Predicting the standing stock of organic carbon in surface sediments of the North–West European continental shelf

• DOI: 10.1007/s10533-017-0310-4
• Publication Date: 2017-02-15T05:55:41Z
• Authors: Markus Diesing; Silke Kröger; Ruth Parker; Chris Jenkins; Claire Mason; Keith Weston
• Keywords: Continental Margin

Shelf seas and their associated benthic habitats represent key systems in the global carbon cycle. However, quantification of related stocks flows are often poorly constrained. To address storage North–West European continental shelf, we have spatially predicted mass particulate organic (POC) stored top 10 cm shelf sediments parts North Sea, English Channel Celtic Sea using a Random Forest model, POC measurements on surface from those relevant predictor variables. The presented model explains 78% variance data estimate that approximately 250 Mt surficial study area (633,000 km2). Upscaling to (1,111,812 km2) yielded range 230–882 with most likely being order 476 Mt. We demonstrate largest coarse-grained due wide-spread occurrence high dry bulk densities. Our results also highlight importance coastal for sequestration. Important predictors include mud content sediments, annual average bottom temperature distance shoreline, latter possibly proxy terrestrial inputs. Now variables determining spatial distribution been identified, it is possible predict future changes stock, maps providing an accurate baseline against which assess changes.