A global database of dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration measurements in coastal waters (CoastDOM v1)

Christian Lønborg*, Cátia Carreira, Gwenaël Abril, Susana Agustí, Valentina Amaral, Agneta Andersson, Javier Arístegui, Punyasloke Bhadury, Mariana B. Bif, Alberto V. Borges, Steven Bouillon, Maria Ll Calleja, Luiz C. Cotovicz, Stefano Cozzi, Maryló Doval, Carlos M. Duarte, Bradley Eyre, Cédric G. Fichot, E. Elena García-Martín, Alexandra Garzon-GarciaMichele Giani, Rafael Gonçalves-Araujo, Renee Gruber, Dennis A. Hansell, Fuminori Hashihama, Ding He, Johnna M. Holding, William R. Hunter, J. Severino P. Ibánhez, Valeria Ibello, Shan Jiang, Guebuem Kim, Katja Klun, Piotr Kowalczuk, Atsushi Kubo, Choon Weng Lee, Cláudia B. Lopes, Federica Maggioni, Paolo Magni, Celia Marrase, Patrick Martin, S. Leigh McCallister, Roisin McCallum, Patricia M. Medeiros, Xosé Anxelu G. Morán, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Allison Myers-Pigg, Marit Norli, Joanne M. Oakes, Helena Osterholz

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Measurements of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen (DON), and phosphorus (DOP) concentrations are used to characterize the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool and are important components of biogeochemical cycling in the coastal ocean. Here, we present the first edition of a global database (CoastDOM v1; available at 10.1594/PANGAEA.964012, Lønborg et al., 2023) compiling previously published and unpublished measurements of DOC, DON, and DOP in coastal waters. These data are complemented by hydrographic data such as temperature and salinity and, to the extent possible, other biogeochemical variables (e.g. chlorophyll a, inorganic nutrients) and the inorganic carbon system (e.g. dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity). Overall, CoastDOM v1 includes observations of concentrations from all continents. However, most data were collected in the Northern Hemisphere, with a clear gap in DOM measurements from the Southern Hemisphere. The data included were collected from 1978 to 2022 and consist of 62338 data points for DOC, 20356 for DON, and 13533 for DOP. The number of measurements decreases progressively in the sequence DOC>DON>DOP, reflecting both differences in the maturity of the analytical methods and the greater focus on carbon cycling by the aquatic science community. The global database shows that the average DOC concentration in coastal waters (average±standard deviation (SD): 182±314μmolCL-1; median: 103μmolCL-1) is 13-fold higher than the average coastal DON concentration (13.6±30.4μmolNL-1; median: 8.0μmolNL-1), which is itself 39-fold higher than the average coastal DOP concentration (0.34±1.11μmolPL-1; median: 0.18μmolPL-1). This dataset will be useful for identifying global spatial and temporal patterns in DOM and will help facilitate the reuse of DOC, DON, and DOP data in studies aimed at better characterizing local biogeochemical processes; closing nutrient budgets; estimating carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous pools; and establishing a baseline for modelling future changes in coastal waters.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1107-1119
Number of pages13
JournalEarth System Science Data
Volume16
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 27 2024

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ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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