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ECOSYSTEMS OF SUBARCTIC SEAS OF RUSSIA AS A LARGE RESERVOIR OF THE RUNOFF AND DEPOSITION OF ATMOSPHERIC CARBON

Elena Shirkova

Abstract

Currently a sharp increase of carbon dioxide content in atmosphere of the Earth is one of the great environmental concerns. It could lead to negative (possibly catastrophic) changes of our planet climate. Experts attribute the rapid and significant increase in anthropogenic CO2 emissions to the number of anticipated causes of this problem, as well as the continuing (also anthropogenic and significant) decrease in the natural storage capacities of this greenhouse gas in terrestrial ecosystems. The rate of increment in CO2 absorption by the carbonate system of the Ocean is reduced [1]. Full and even minimum required restoration of the natural reservoirs capacity for runoff of atmospheric carbon, its deposition and storage as proposed in several studies [2] is almost impossible. Therefore, it is very important today to maintain the carbon reservoirs of still undisturbed marine ecosystems in every way possible. At the same time, the insufficient knowledge of the capacity of these carbon reservoirs does not allow them to be involved in international climate conservation strategies. Biologically the most productive ecosystems of boreal and subarctic seas are especially poorly studied from this point of view. For many of these seas the carbon capacity of their ecological and carbonate systems has not been estimated yet. This report presents the first estimates obtained for carbon capacity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Okhotsk and Bering Seas which are the largest and most productive seas of the North Pacific.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/3.2/s15.142

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