Global Marine Carbon Burial Efficiencies: New estimates using remote sensing and globally interpolated data

Frank E Muller-Karger, School for Marine Science and Technology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, fmullerkarger@umassd.edu (Presenting)
Remy Luerssen, University of South Florida, remy@marine.usf.edu
Chuanmin Hu, University of South Florida, hu@marine.usf.edu
Cole Jonathan, 2Institute of Ecosystem Studies, NY, colej@ecostudies.org

Burial efficiency (BE) is the fraction of organic carbon reaching the sea floor that is sequestered into the marine sediments. Using Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) flux estimates derived from satellite remote sensing data, and in situ measurements of sediment accumulation rates and sediment total organic content, we developed new global maps of oceanic organic carbon BE, sediment accumulation rate, and total organic carbon content of the sediments, updating the last known maps created in the 1980’s. Overall, our global average BE estimate is lower than historical estimates (~11% compared to ~33%). The maps permit new geospatial assessments of BE. We observe higher average BE (~16%) on and near continental margins, compared to the open ocean (~10%). Continental margins that experience wind-driven upwelling have very high BE (10-100%). High latitude, Equatorial regions, and semi-permanent hypoxic oceanic areas also show high BE (10-50%). In contrast, trailing margins with wide continental shelves have very low (0-5%) BE on the shelf but high BE off the shelf (10-20%). These patterns are consistent with the limited historical measurements available. The global geospatial assessment shows that over 75% of carbon burial world-wide occurs on continental margins.