Carbon dioxide stored and acidified low oxygen bottom waters in coastal seas, Japan

Recently carbon dioxide fluxes between sea water and air have been measured in many coastal seas to clarify whether the coastal seas are source or sink of CO2. In this study behavior of CO2 within the water column was studied in a semi-enclosed coastal sea: the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. It was found that seasonal formation of hypoxic water mass is highly related to CO2 dynamics in coastal seas. Bacterial remineralization of organic matter consumes dissolved oxygen (DO) and releases dissolved CO2 in the bottom water when summertime thermal stratification develops. The CO2 accumulates within the low DO bottom water (hypoxic water) and causes increasing of carbonic acid content which results in low pH. Concentrations of dissolved CO2 and pH are highly correlated with DO concentration. The summertime low DO and acidification (low pH) occur in the lower layer every year. The accumulated CO2 during the summer season is dispersed to the atmosphere at the beginning of mixing season.