Description: Large rivers discharge great amounts of terrigenous organic carbon (OCterr) to the ocean, 90% of which are trapped in the coastal areas. The OCterr processing during transport to and within the coastal oceans are not well known. The Pearl River is the second largest river in China in terms of annual runoff. Here, we studied OCterr delivered from the river in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and the northern South China Sea (SCS) shelf using stable and radioactive carbon isotope compositions (d13C and F14C) of OC in surface sediments to (1) constrain sources of OC, (2) explore the role of hydrodynamic processes for OCterr transport, and (3) better understand the burial and degradation processes of OCterr. A three end-member mixing model based on d13C and 1/(C/N) values of bulk OC was used to calculate relative contributions of OCterr, OC derived from marine (OCmar) and riverine primary production (OCRpp). Results showed that the PRE and its western coastal inshore mud deposit are dominated by OCterr (70 ± 3% and 54 ± 10%, respectively), but other areas receive increasing contributions from OCmar: the slope (49 ± 10%), the eastern coast (58 ± 2%) and the outer shelf (68 ± 3%). OCRpp accounted for substantial proportions in the PRE (14 ± 6%) and rapidly decreased in the offshore area (3–5%), likely due to extensive aerobic respiration of organic matter (OM). Subsequently, average F14C values of OCterr were calculated ranging from 0.271 to 0.639 using a Monte-Carlo simulation strategy and based on the assumption that F14C values of OCRpp and OCmar varied within narrow ranges. Together with OCterr contents and grain sizes of sediments, F14C values of OCterr were used to distinguish two regions of distinctive sedimentological characteristics in the study area. Region I, including the PRE and inner shelf, showed a decrease of OCterr content along the trajectory of westward along-shelf transport, reflecting resuspension-dominated conditions for OCterr transport. Region II, including the outer shelf and one site on the inner shelf (E701), exhibited relatively old OCterr (9180 ± 730 yr BP), which is attributed to preferential accumulation of coarser sediments by bedload movement. Finally, a first-order degradation rate constant was calculated from contents and 14C ages of OCterr, yielding a slow OCterr degradation rate of (2.88 ± 0.61) x 10–4 yr-1, indicating a more refractory nature and likely effective mineral protection of OCterr. The RCO2 efflux due to OCterr degradation was estimated to be 3.68 ± 1.39 Gg C yr-1 for the entire surface sediments in the Pearl River derived mud belt, equivalent to only 0.7 ± 0.3% of the total particulate OC flux of the Pearl River. This, hence, suggests that the OCterr is more persistent and the preservation of OCterr in the marine system is better than previously thought, but experiences substantial degradation on centennial to millennial timescales.

Description: 〈jats:title〉Abstract〈/jats:title〉〈jats:p〉The changes in atmospheric 〈jats:italic〉p〈/jats:italic〉CO〈jats:sub〉2〈/jats:sub〉 provide evidence for the release of large amounts of ancient carbon during the last deglaciation. However, the sources and mechanisms that contributed to this process remain unresolved. Here, we present evidence for substantial ancient terrestrial carbon remobilization in the Canadian Arctic following the Laurentide Ice Sheet retreat. Glacial-retreat-induced physical erosion of bedrock has mobilized petrogenic carbon, as revealed by sedimentary records of radiocarbon dates and thermal maturity of organic carbon from the Canadian Beaufort Sea. Additionally, coastal erosion during the meltwater pulses 1a and 1b has remobilized pre-aged carbon from permafrost. Assuming extensive petrogenic organic carbon oxidation during the glacial retreat, a model-based assessment suggests that the combined processes have contributed 12 ppm to the deglacial CO〈jats:sub〉2〈/jats:sub〉 rise. Our findings suggest potentially positive climate feedback of ice-sheet retreat by accelerating terrestrial organic carbon remobilization and subsequent oxidation during the glacial-interglacial transition.〈/jats:p〉

Description: Tropical and subtropical rivers deliver large quantities of terrestrial organic carbon (OCterr) to the ocean, acting as a crucial part of the global carbon cycle, but little is known about the timescale and efficiency of its transport to and in the adjacent coastal sea. Here we examined source-specific biomarker (fatty acids, FAs) contents and isotope compositions in surface sediments in an alongshore transect southwestward from the Pearl River mouth. The C28+30, rather than other long-chain saturated FAs, were found to be the most representative for OCterr, and a plant wax mean age of 3060 ±90 yr (resulting from protracted storage) was estimated in the Pearl River watershed from the 14C age of C28+30FA in a river mouth sample. A compilation of plant wax mean ages in global (sub)tropical river systems including this study suggests that regional differences in climate and morphology may have a limited impact on plant wax mean ages in (sub)tropical regions. A four-source mixing model based on bulk OC and biomarker isotope compositions demonstrated that surface sediments in the Pearl River-derived mudbelt consist of 0.15–0.36 wt.% marine OC, 0.03–0.13 wt.% riverine primary production-derived OC, 0.18–0.49 wt.% soil OC, and 0.07–0.16 wt.% fossil OC. The mean burial efficiency of fossil and soil OC is ∼85% and 49%, respectively, indicating the refractory nature of fossil OC but a significant loss of soil OC due to remineralization during transport in the marine environment before final burial. Over longer timescales, the OCterrloss experienced during transport may, thus, to some extent reduces the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems (particularly soils) as CO2sinks.

Description: Human activities have increasingly changed terrestrial particulate organic carbon (POC) export to the coastal ocean since the Industrial Age (19th century). However, the influence of human perturbations on the composition and flux of terrestrial biospheric and petrogenic POC sub-pools remains poorly constrained. Here, we examined 13C and 14C compositions of bulk POC and source-specific biomarkers (fatty acids, FA) from two nearshore sediment cores collected in the Pearl River-derived mudbelt, to determine the impacts of human perturbations of the Pearl River watershed on the burial of terrestrial POC in the coastal ocean over the last century. Our results show that although agricultural practices and deforestation during the 1930s–1950s increased C4 plant coverage in the watershed, the export fluxes of terrestrial biospheric and petrogenic POC remained rather unchanged; however, added perturbations since 1974, including increasing coal consumption, embankment and dam constructions caused massive export of both petrogenic POC and relatively fresh terrestrial biospheric POC from the river delta. Our data reveal that human activities substantially enhance the transfer of petrogenic POC and fresh biospheric POC to the coastal ocean after ca. 1974, with the latter process acting as an important sink for anthropogenic CO2.

Description: This data set includes δ¹³C of bulk OC and Fatty acids in two nearshore sediment cores collected by the piston corer from coastal South China Sea. These data could help us to constrain the anthropogenic perturbations of different terrestrial OC export to the coastal ocean.

Description: This data set includes grain size in two nearshore sediment cores collected by the piston corer from coastal South China Sea. These data could help us to constrain the anthropogenic perturbations of different terrestrial OC export to the coastal ocean.

Description: This data set includes radonuclide activities in two nearshore sediment cores collected by the piston corer from coastal South China Sea. These data could help us to constrain the anthropogenic perturbations of different terrestrial OC export to the coastal ocean.

Description: This data set includes δ¹³C and F¹⁴C of bulk OC in two nearshore sediment cores collected by the piston corer from coastal South China Sea. These data could help us to constrain the anthropogenic perturbations of different terrestrial OC export to the coastal ocean.

Description: This data set includes F¹⁴C of Fatty acids in two nearshore sediment cores collected by the piston corer from coastal South China Sea. These data could help us to constrain the anthropogenic perturbations of different terrestrial OC export to the coastal ocean.

Description: This data set includes concentrations of fatty acids in two nearshore sediment cores collected by the piston corer from coastal South China Sea. These data could help us to constrain the anthropogenic perturbations of different terrestrial OC export to the coastal ocean.