Effects of upwelling, tides and biological processes on the inorganic carbon system of a coastal lagoon in Baja California

The role of coastal lagoons and estuaries as sources or sinks of inorganic carbon in upwelling areas has not been fully understood. During the months of May–July, 2005, we studied the dissolved inorganic carbon system in a coastal lagoon of northwestern Mexico during the strongest period of upwelling events. Along the bay, different scenarios were observed for the distributions of pH, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) as a result of different combinations of upwelling intensity and tidal amplitude. DIC concentrations in the outer part of the bay were controlled by mixing processes. At the inner part of the bay DIC was as low as 1800 μmol kg−1, most likely due to high water residence times and seagrass CO2 uptake. It is estimated that 85% of San Quintín Bay, at the oceanic end, acted as a source of CO2 to the atmosphere due to the inflow of CO2-rich upwelled waters from the neighboring ocean with high positive fluxes higher than 30 mmol C m−2 d−1. In contrast, there was a net uptake of CO2 and HCO3− by the seagrass bed Zostera marina in the inner part of the bay, so the pCO2 in this zone was below the equilibrium value and slightly negative CO2 fluxes of −6 mmol C m−2 d−1. Our positive NEP and ΔDIC values indicate that Bahía San Quintín was a net autotrophic system during the upwelling season during 2005.