Using seismic facies and pollen analyses to evaluate climatically driven change in a Scottish sea loch (fjord) over the last 20 ka

Baltzer, Agnès; Bates, Richard; Mokeddem, Zohra; Clet-Pellerin, Martine; Walter-Simonnet, Anne-Véronique; Bonnot-Courtois, Chantal; Austin, William E. N.

doi:10.1144/sp344.24

Cited by 18 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…In total, 285 subsamples were collected from the sediment cores from Loch Etive (n = 133), Loch Broom (n = 78) and Little Loch Broom (n = 74). The data produced by Smeaton et al (2016) for the glacially derived sediment in Loch Sunart were used as a surrogate for all glacial sediments in this study since MD04-2833 remains the only mid-latitude fjord core with chronologically constrained glacial sediment (Baltzer et al, 2010). Detailed seabed seismic geophysical data for Loch Etive (Howe et al, 2002), Loch Creran (Mokeddem et al, 2015), Loch Broom (Stoker and Bradwell, 2009) and Little Loch Broom (Stoker et al, 2010) were compiled.…”

Section: Sample and Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The lack of 14 C dating means we rely solely on the interpretation of the seismic geophysics to differentiate between the postglacial and glacial sediments. To ensure the consistency of this approach, previous seismic interpretations of Scottish fjordic sediments (Baltzer et al, 2010;Dix and Duck, 2000;Howe et al, 2002;Stoker and Bradwell, 2009;Stoker et al, 2010) were studied and a catalogue of different seismic facies was compiled for use as a reference guide (Supplement). Finally, we applied the framework set out in Smeaton et al (2016) to reduce uncertainty in the interpretation of the seismic geophysics by testing seismic units against available dated sediment cores.…”

Section: Fjord-specific Sedimentary Carbon Inventoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This disparity emerges because Röhr et al (2016) only consider the top 0.25 m of seagrass sediment, while our study encompassed the full depth of sediment. In Loch Sunart, for example, sediment depths of 70 m have been recorded (Baltzer et al, 2010). When compared like for like (i.e.…”

Section: Comparison To Other Mid-latitude Carbon Stocks: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Radiocarbon dating (Nørgaard-Pedersen et al, 2006;Baltzer et al, 2010;Smeaton et al, 2016) shows that the fjords have been collecting sediment since the retreat of the last ice sheet (Clark et al, 2012), which results in these C stores likely being some of the oldest and most persistent in the UK. Of the terrestrial C stores, only soils and peatlands have the potential to store C over similar timescales, but they are significantly more vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic disturbance than the fjordic sediments.…”

Section: Comparison To Other Mid-latitude Carbon Stocks: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

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Scotland's forgotten carbon: a national assessment of mid-latitude fjord sedimentary carbon stocks

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Fjords are recognised as hotspots for the burial and long-term storage of carbon (C) and potentially provide a significant climate regulation service over multiple timescales. Understanding the magnitude of marine sedimentary C stores and the processes which govern their development is fundamental to understanding the role of the coastal ocean in the global C cycle. In this study, we use the mid-latitude fjords of Scotland as a natural laboratory to further develop methods to quantify these marine sedimentary C stores on both the individual fjord and national scale. Targeted geophysical and geochemical analysis has allowed the quantification of sedimentary C stocks for a number of mid-latitude fjords and, coupled with upscaling techniques based on fjord classification, has generated the first full national sedimentary C inventory for a fjordic system. The sediments within these mid-latitude fjords hold 640.7 ± 46 Mt of C split between 295.6±52 and 345.1 ± 39 Mt of organic and inorganic C, respectively. When compared, these marine mid-latitude sedimentary C stores are of similar magnitude to their terrestrial equivalents, with the exception of the Scottish peatlands, which hold significantly more C. However, when areanormalised comparisons are made, these mid-latitude fjords are significantly more effective as C stores than their terrestrial counterparts, including Scottish peatlands. The C held within Scotland's coastal marine sediments has been largely overlooked as a significant component of the nation's natural capital; such coastal C stores are likely to be key to understanding and constraining improved global C budgets. Highlights-Scottish fjords are a more effective store of C than the terrestrial environment.-A total of 640.7 ± 46 Mt of C is stored in the sediment of Scotland's 111 fjords.-An estimated 31 139-40 615 t yr −1 of C is buried in the sediment of Scotland's fjords.-Fjord sediments are potentially the most effective store of C globally.

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Section: Sample and Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fjord-specific Sedimentary Carbon Inventoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Comparison To Other Mid-latitude Carbon Stocks: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Comparison To Other Mid-latitude Carbon Stocks: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

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Scotland's forgotten carbon: a national assessment of mid-latitude fjord sedimentary carbon stocks

et al. 2017

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“…The fjord sediments also record palaeoenvironmental changes during the Holocene (Howe et al, 2002;Nørgaard-Pedersen et al, 2006;Baltzer et al, 2010;Cage and Austin, 2010;Cundill and Austin, 2010;Mokeddem et al, 2010) and form sinks for organic carbon from terrestrial sources (Burrows et al, 2014).…”

Section: The Quaternary Of Scotlandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Progress in marine geoconservation in Scotland’s seas: assessment of key interests and their contribution to Marine Protected Area network planning

Gordon

Brooks²,

Chaniotis

et al. 2016

Proceedings of the Geologists' Association

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Geoconservation in the marine environment has been largely overlooked, despite a wealth of accumulated information on marine geology and geomorphology and clear links between many terrestrial and marine features. As part of the wider characterisation of Scotland's seas, this study developed criteria and a methodology that follow the established principles of the terrestrial, Great Britain-wide geoconservation audit, the Geological Conservation Review, to assess geodiversity key areas on the seabed. Using an expert judgement approach, eight geodiversity feature categories were identified to represent the geological and geomorphological processes that have influenced the evolution and present-day morphology of the Scottish seabed: Quaternary of Scotland; Submarine Mass Movement; Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Deep-Ocean Seabed; Seabed Fluid and Gas Seep; Cenozoic Structures of the Atlantic Margin; Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Shelf Seabed; Coastal Geomorphology of Scotland; and Biogenic Structures of the Scottish Seabed. Within these categories, 35 key areas were prioritised for their scientific value. Specific interests range from large-scale landforms (e.g. submarine landslides, sea-mounts and trenches) to fine-scale dynamic features (e.g. sand waves). Although these geodiversity interests provided supporting evidence for the identification and selection of a suite of Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) containing important marine natural features, they are only partially represented in these MPAs and existing protected areas. Nevertheless, a pragmatic 2 approach is emerging to integrate as far as possible the conservation management of marine geodiversity with that of biodiversity and based on evidence of the sensitivity and vulnerability of geological and geomorphological features on the seabed.

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Sources, Sinks, and Subsidies: Terrestrial Carbon Storage in Mid‐latitude Fjords

Smeaton

Austin

2017

JGR Biogeosciences

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Fjords are recognized as globally important sites for the burial and long‐term storage of carbon (C) within sediments. The proximity of fjords to the terrestrial environment in combination with their geomorphology and hydrography results in the fjordic sediments being subsidized with organic carbon (OC) from the terrestrial environment. It has been well documented that terrestrial OC (OCterr) is an important component of coastal sediments, yet our understanding of the quantity of OCterr stored in these sediments remains poorly constrained. Utilizing Bayesian isotopic sediment fingerprinting techniques to the surface sediments of Loch Sunart, we estimate that 42.0 ± 10.1% of the OC is terrestrial in origin. Through combining these outputs with sedimentary OC stock estimates, we have calculated that the surface sediments (0–15 cm) hold 0.1 megaton (Mt) OCterr and estimate that the postglacial sediment held within the fjord contains 3.96 Mt OCterr. When these totals are compared to the quantity of OC stored in the adjacent terrestrial environment, it is clear that the fjord's catchment stores a greater amount of OCterr in the form of vegetation and soil. Though when normalized for area the results suggest that the marine sediments are a more effective long‐term store of OCterr than the adjacent terrestrial environment. This striking result highlights the importance of the terrestrial environment as a source of OC to the coastal ocean and that the OCterr subsidy to the marine sediments is a significant mechanism for the long‐term storage of OC in coastal marine sediments.

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Using seismic facies and pollen analyses to evaluate climatically driven change in a Scottish sea loch (fjord) over the last 20 ka

Abstract: International audienc

Cited by 18 publications

References 33 publications

Scotland's forgotten carbon: a national assessment of mid-latitude fjord sedimentary carbon stocks

Scotland's forgotten carbon: a national assessment of mid-latitude fjord sedimentary carbon stocks

Progress in marine geoconservation in Scotland’s seas: assessment of key interests and their contribution to Marine Protected Area network planning

Sources, Sinks, and Subsidies: Terrestrial Carbon Storage in Mid‐latitude Fjords

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