Temperature dependence of sediment oxygen consumption from the Yangtze River Estuary, the Yellow River Estuary and the Yellow Sea nearshore

Li Yani; Liang Kunrui; Song Guodong; Liu Sumei

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Li Yani，Liang Kunrui，Song Guodong, et al. Temperature dependence of sediment oxygen consumption from the Yangtze River Estuary, the Yellow River Estuary and the Yellow Sea nearshore[J]. Haiyang Xuebao，2025, 47(5)：1–9

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Temperature dependence of sediment oxygen consumption from the Yangtze River Estuary, the Yellow River Estuary and the Yellow Sea nearshore

Li Yani^{1, 2, 3
,},
Liang Kunrui^{1, 2, 3},
Song Guodong^{1, 2
,
,},
Liu Sumei^{1, 2}

1.
Frontiers Science Center of Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
2.
Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
3.
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China

Received Date: 2024-09-28
Rev Recd Date: 2025-02-28

Available Online: 2025-04-28

Abstract

Abstract

Sediment oxygen consumption (SOC) is a key parameter for quantifying organic carbon mineralization in sediments, crucial for understanding the marine carbon cycle. The oxygen consumption of sediments in marginal seas account for approximately 60% of global marine sediments. Temperature is a major factor influencing microbial respiration in sediments. However, there is a lack of research on the differences in temperature responses of sediment oxygen consumption across various estuaries and nearshore areas, which may lead to inaccuracies in our understanding of sediment oxygen consumption and mineralization, especially in the context of global warming and rising sea temperatures. This study examined sediment from the Yangtze River Estuary, the Yellow River Estuary, and the Yellow Sea nearshore, measuring sediment oxygen consumption across a temperature range of 2−45 ℃ with 2−3 ℃ increments. Results showed an exponential increase in sediment oxygen consumption with temperature in all three regions. The apparent activation energy (Eaʹ) of sediment oxygen consumption in the Yangtze River Estuary is in the range of 69−77 kJ/mol, and the temperature coefficient (Q_{10 (15−25℃})) is 2.6−3.0, similar to sediments in the Weser Estuary of Germany. In the Yellow River Estuary and the coastal area of the Yellow Sea, the Eaʹ is 51−58 kJ/mol, and the Q_{10 (15−25℃)} value is 2.0−2.3, comparable to data from shallow sediments in the Canada Bay. The Eaʹ and Q_{10 (15−25℃)} of sediment oxygen consumption in the Yangtze River Estuary are significantly higher than those in the Yellow River Estuary and the Yellow Sea nearshore (AVONA, P<0.01), likely due to higher labile organic carbon content. The range of sediment oxygen consumption Q_{10 (15−25℃)} is 2.5 ± 0.3, basically in line with that of sediment oxygen consumption on a global scale (2.4 ± 0.4), consistent with the range of Q₁₀ being 2−3 for most biological reactions. This study provides critical data on the temperature response and differences in SOC, offering insights into the feedback between carbon mineralization in estuarine and nearshore sediments and global climate change.
- sediment oxygen consumption,
- typical estuaries and nearshore,
- temperature dependence

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