Coastal aquifers key contributors to ocean chemistry through solute fluxes
Abstract Understanding the ocean’s chemical composition is key to assessing the carbon cycle and its climate impact, especially through its control on calcium carbonate saturation and preservation. While rivers and hydrothermal systems are recognized contributors to ocean chemistry, the role of coas...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62411-8 |
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| author | Yael Kiro |
| author_facet | Yael Kiro |
| author_sort | Yael Kiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Understanding the ocean’s chemical composition is key to assessing the carbon cycle and its climate impact, especially through its control on calcium carbonate saturation and preservation. While rivers and hydrothermal systems are recognized contributors to ocean chemistry, the role of coastal aquifers has been underestimated. This study shows that long-term submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a major source of solute fluxes to the ocean, especially of calcium and alkalinity, while removing sodium and potassium. Through analysis of elemental and isotopic ocean budgets, we find that fluxes from long-term SGD rival those from rivers in magnitude. These fluxes influence the residence times of major elements and significantly affect the global carbon budget. Moreover, they are dynamically linked to sea-level changes: falling sea levels enhance SGD-driven solute inputs, whereas rising sea levels suppress them. These patterns suggest that SGD fluxes may regulate long-term climate trends, including rates of global cooling or warming. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ea7adf064c0e4e2cb0892a2f3b2dfe1f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-ea7adf064c0e4e2cb0892a2f3b2dfe1f2025-08-20T04:03:01ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116111010.1038/s41467-025-62411-8Coastal aquifers key contributors to ocean chemistry through solute fluxesYael Kiro0Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceAbstract Understanding the ocean’s chemical composition is key to assessing the carbon cycle and its climate impact, especially through its control on calcium carbonate saturation and preservation. While rivers and hydrothermal systems are recognized contributors to ocean chemistry, the role of coastal aquifers has been underestimated. This study shows that long-term submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a major source of solute fluxes to the ocean, especially of calcium and alkalinity, while removing sodium and potassium. Through analysis of elemental and isotopic ocean budgets, we find that fluxes from long-term SGD rival those from rivers in magnitude. These fluxes influence the residence times of major elements and significantly affect the global carbon budget. Moreover, they are dynamically linked to sea-level changes: falling sea levels enhance SGD-driven solute inputs, whereas rising sea levels suppress them. These patterns suggest that SGD fluxes may regulate long-term climate trends, including rates of global cooling or warming.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62411-8 |
| spellingShingle | Yael Kiro Coastal aquifers key contributors to ocean chemistry through solute fluxes Nature Communications |
| title | Coastal aquifers key contributors to ocean chemistry through solute fluxes |
| title_full | Coastal aquifers key contributors to ocean chemistry through solute fluxes |
| title_fullStr | Coastal aquifers key contributors to ocean chemistry through solute fluxes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coastal aquifers key contributors to ocean chemistry through solute fluxes |
| title_short | Coastal aquifers key contributors to ocean chemistry through solute fluxes |
| title_sort | coastal aquifers key contributors to ocean chemistry through solute fluxes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62411-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yaelkiro coastalaquiferskeycontributorstooceanchemistrythroughsolutefluxes |