The spatial-temporal distribution of particulate organic carbon in the Pearl River Estuary

Abstract

Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) plays an important role in sink of atmospheric CO2, global carbon cycle, etc. Around river estuary, POC is sourced from terrestrial ecosystem and aquatic ecosystem; its distribution features might be complex and likely to change with time. Based on in-situ samples from four seasonal cruises, we discussed spatial-temporal distribution and remote sensing monitoring of POC concentration in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE). Being affected by larger discharge from the Pearl River, surface POC concentrations in summer were usually higher than those in other three seasons, similar, in the PRE. However, because of sediment resuspension, POC concentrations at the bottom layer were higher than those at the surface layer. Taking the PRE as an example, remote sensing monitoring of POC concentration in case II water around estuary was also discussed. On the one hand, on the basis of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Total Suspended Matter (TSM) concentrations inversed by published algorithms, we can estimate surface POC concentration through multiple linear regression equation: POC=0.042*Chl-a+0.014*TSM+0.1595, R=0.9156. On the other hand, great relationships between surface POC concentrations and total particle absorption coefficient at 667nm (TPabs(667)) and 678nm (TPabs(678)) were also found: POC=3.813*TPabs(667)+0.0684, R=0.8769 and POC=3.9175*TPabs(678)+0.0624, R=0.8745. They implied the possibility of estuarine POC monitoring from space through remote sensing reflectance at 667nm or 678nm.