European Ocean Biodiversity Information System
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page
Elucidating the role of marine benthic carbon in a changing world
Schultz, C.; Luo, J.Y.; Brady, D.C.; Fulweiler, R.W.; Long, M.H.; Petrik, C.M.; Testa, J.M.; Benway, H.M.; Burdige, D.; Cecchetto, M.M.; Elegbede, I.; Evans, N.; Frenzel, A.; Gillen, K.; Herbert, L.C.; Hirsh, H.K.; Lessin, G.; Levin, L.; Maiti, K.; Malkin, S.; Mincks, S.L.; Nmor, S.; Pham, A.; Pinckney, J.; Rabouille, C.; Rahman, S.; Rakshit, S.; Ray, N.E.; Sasaki, D.K.; Siedlecki, S.A.; Somes, C.; Stubbins, A.; Sulpis, O.; Trevisan, C.; Xu, Y.; Yin, H. (2025). Elucidating the role of marine benthic carbon in a changing world. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 39(12): e2025GB008643. https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2025gb008643
In: Global Biogeochemical Cycles. American Geophysical Union: Washington, DC. ISSN 0886-6236; e-ISSN 1944-9224
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Author 
Author keywords
    benthos; ocean; sediment; carbon cycle; modeling; observations
Author  Top 
  • Nmor, S.
Abstract
    The ocean plays a major role in controlling atmospheric carbon at decadal to millennial timescales, with benthic carbon representing the only geologic-scale storage of oceanic carbon. Despite its importance, detailed benthic ocean observations are limited and representation of the benthic carbon cycle in ocean and Earth system models (ESMs) is mostly empirical with little prognostic capacity, which hinders our ability to properly understand the long-term evolution of the carbon cycle and climate change-related feedbacks. The Benthic Ecosystem and Carbon Synthesis (BECS) working group, with the support of the US Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry Program (OCB), identified key challenges limiting our understanding of benthic systems, opportunities to act on these challenges, and pathways to increase the representation of these systems in global modeling and observational efforts. We propose a set of priorities to advance mechanistic understanding and better quantify the importance of the benthos: (a) implementing a model intercomparison exercise with existing benthic models to support future model development, (b) data synthesis to inform both model parameterizations and future observations, (c) increased deployment of platforms and technologies in support of in situ benthic monitoring (e.g., from benchtop to field mesocosm), and (d) global coordination of a benthic observing program (“GEOSed”) to fill large regional data gaps and evaluate the mechanistic understanding of benthic processes acquired throughout the previous steps. Addressing these priorities will help inform solutions to both global and regional resource management and climate adaptation strategies.
All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Author