Can seabirds modify carbon burial in fjords?

Abstract

Two high latitude fjords of Spitsbergen (Hornsund 77°N and Kongsfjorden 79°N) are regarded as being highly productive (70 g and 50 gC m−2 year−1) and having organic-rich sediments. Hornsund has more organic matter in its sediments (8%), nearly half of it of terrestrial origin, while most of that in Kongsfjorden (5%) comes from fresh, marine sources (microplankton). Analysis of the carbon sources in both fjords shows that a major difference is the much larger seabird population in Hornsund-dominated with over 100 thousands pairs of plankton feeding little auks in Hornsund versus 2 thousand pairs in Kongsfjorden, and marine food consumption estimated as 5573 tonnes of carbon in Hornsund, versus 3047 tonnes in Kongsfjorden during one month of chick feeding period. Seabird colonies supply rich ornithogenic tundra (595 tonnes of C, as against only 266 tonnes of C in the Kongsfjorden tundra). No much of the terrestrial carbon, flushed out or wind-blown to the fjord, is consumed on the seabed – a state of affairs that is reflected by the low metabolic activity of bacteria and benthos and the lower benthic biomass in Hornsund than in Kongsfjorden.

Keywords

• Arctic
• Svalbard
• Fjords
• Carbon
• Seabirds