DOI: 10.5061/dryad.2bvq83c18
title: Ocean alkalinity destruction by anthropogenic seafloor disturbances generates a hidden CO2 emission

description: The seafloor is responsible for 40% of the alkalinity input to the ocean,
 thus contributing to the ocean’s capacity to sequester atmospheric CO2.
 Anthropogenic seafloor disturbances induced by mobile bottom-contact
 fishing (e.g., trawling) and dredging influence this natural carbon sink,
 yet the human impact on the ocean’s alkalinity cycle remains poorly
 quantified. Model simulations show that the combined impact of mobile
 bottom-contact fishing and dredging reduces natural alkalinity generation
 by 60-220 Geq. yr-1, which is equivalent to a reduction of the natural
 marine carbon sink by 2-8 Tg CO2 yr-1. Alkalinity destruction by
 anthropogenic seafloor disturbance hence comprises a hidden CO2 emission,
 of which the impact is comparable to the estimated inhibition of organic
 carbon burial. Our analysis emphasizes that carbon accounting in marine
 systems should consider the anthropogenic impact on both the organic and
 inorganic carbon cycles.
description: # Ocean alkalinity destruction by anthropogenic seafloor disturbances
 generates a hidden CO2 emission
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2bvq83c18](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2bvq83c18) ## Description of the data and file structure Benthic fluxes of total alkalinity and relevant metadata, compiled for validation of the sediment alkalinity model in van de Velde et al., 2024 ### Files and variables #### File: ATfluxDatabase\_v01.xlsx **Description:** All data ##### Variables * Geographical Location * Type of environment * Lat - Latitude (deg N) * Long - Longitude (deg E) * water depth (in m) * Sampling year (if reported) * Sampling season (if reported) * TC - Temperature (deg Celsius) * SAL - salinity * sediment type (if reported) - as reported by the authors * porosity * SAR - sediment accumulation rate (if reported) * PTC - particulate total carbon (wt% C) (if reported) * POC - particulate organic carbon (wt% C) (if reported) * PIC - particulate inorganic carbon (wt% C) (if reported) * BW_O2 - bottom-water oxygen concentration (micromolar) (if reported) * BW_TA - bottom-water total alkalinity concentration (microeq. per liter) (if reported) * F_O2 - benthic oxygen flux (mmol m-2 d-1), negative is into the sediment (if reported) * F_*O2_*sd - standard deviation of the benthic oxygen flux (mmol m-2 d-1) (if reported) * F_TA - benthic total alkalinity flux (meq. m-2 d-1), negative is into of the sediment * F_*TA_*sd - standard deviation of the benthic total alkalinity flux (meq. m-2 d-1) (if reported) * F_Ca - benthic dissolved calcium flux (mmol m-2 d-1), negative is into the sediment (if reported) * F_*Ca_*sd - standard deviation of the benthic dissolved calcium flux (mmol m-2 d-1) (if reported) * F_DIC - benthic dissolved inorganic carbon flux (mmol m-2 d-1), negative is into the sediment (if reported) * F_*DIC_*sd - standard deviation of the benthic dissolved inorganic carbon flux (mmol m-2 d-1) (if reported) * flux_method - how was the flux derived (if reported); \ Incubation = ex-situ incubation / Porewater modelling = diffusive flux derived from porewater profiles / Ra budget = flux derived from sediment Ra budget / lander = in-situ incubation with a benthic lander * author * manuscript title * journal * year published * volume * page number * doi ## Access information Data was derived from the following sources: * Published journal articles