Session: 06-02-01 Coastal Engineering I

Paper Number: 126899

126899 - Distributions and Impact Factors of Organic Carbon in the Coastal Areas of Yangtze River Estuary in the Summer of 2023 

Since the start of the industrial revolution, global average temperature has been increasing year by year due to the rapid increase in atmospheric carbon concentrations. Estuarine carbon cycle processes are hotpots of greenhouse gas (CHG) emissions and play multiple roles in the global carbon budget. The driving factors of organic carbon in coastal wetlands are crucial for understanding the process of estuarine carbon cycle. However, the relationship between organic carbon and surrounding environmental factors is complex, and the impact pathways of controlling factors on organic carbon remain unexplored. Therefore, this study employed field sampling and statistical techniques to study the relationships between organic carbon and primary influencing factors in seven coastal wetlands along the Yangtze River Estuary during the summer (June-August 2023). Results showed that the average of organic carbon concentration in August was higher than that in June and July. The organic carbon concentrations in SCG and DZH were higher than those in other sampling points. Salinity, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity and resistivity had significant impacts on organic carbon. Partial least squares path modeling indicated that the effect of salinity regulation and biogeochemical environment on organic carbon is a direct and dominant pathway (path coefficient≥0.45). Hydrodynamics had the greatest indirect effect on organic carbon but the total effect of hydrodynamics was insignificant. This work offers an insightful lens for better understanding organic carbon processes in coastal wetlands. It provides a theoretical basis for better assessing blue carbon storage in the context of global change.

Presenting Author: Zhongyuan Yang Tongji University

Presenting Author Biography: I has been engaged in the study of estuary hydrodynamics, sediment transport, pollutant migration, and water environment assessment for a long time.

Authors:

Zhongyuan Yang Tongji University
Sha Lou Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University
Shizhe Chen Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai