Modeling inorganic carbon dynamics in the Seine River continuum in France

Audrey Marescaux (1) , Vincent Thieu (2) , Nathalie Gypens , Marie Silvestre (3) , Josette Garnier (4)

1 SU - Sorbonne Université
2 METIS - Milieux Environnementaux, Transferts et Interactions dans les hydrosystèmes et les Sols
3 FIRE - Fédération Île-de-France de Recherche sur l'Environnement
4 CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Inland waters are an active component of the carbon cycle where transformations and transports are associated with carbon dioxide (CO 2) outgassing. This study estimated CO 2 emissions from the human-impacted Seine River (France) and provided a detailed budget of aquatic carbon transfers for organic and inorganic forms, including the in-stream metabolism along the whole Seine River network. The existing process-based biogeochemical pyNuts-Riverstrahler model was supplemented with a newly developed inorganic carbon module and simulations were performed for the recent time period 2010-2013. New input constraints for the modeling of riverine inorganic carbon were documented by field measurements and complemented by analysis of existing databases. The resulting dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations in the Seine aquifers ranged from 25 to 92 mg C L −1 , while in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents our DIC measurements averaged 70 mg C L −1. Along the main stem of the Seine River, simulations of DIC, total alkalinity, pH and CO 2 concentrations were of the same order of magnitude as the observations, but seasonal variability was not always well reproduced. Our simulations demonstrated the CO 2 supersaturation with respect to atmospheric concentrations over the entire Seine River network. The most significant outgassing was in lower-order streams while peaks were simulated downstream of the major WWTP effluent. For the period studied (2010-2013), the annual average of simulated CO 2 emissions from the Seine drainage network were estimated at 364 ± 99 Gg C yr −1. Results from metabolism analysis in the Seine hydro-graphic network highlighted the importance of benthic activities in headwaters while planktonic activities occurred mainly downstream in larger rivers. The net ecosystem productivity remained negative throughout the 4 simulated years and over the entire drainage network, highlighting the heterotrophy of the basin.

Domaines: Sciences de l'environnement; Milieux et Changements globaux

Audrey Marescaux, Vincent Thieu, Nathalie Gypens, Marie Silvestre, Josette Garnier. Modeling inorganic carbon dynamics in the Seine River continuum in France. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 2020, 24, pp.2379 - 2398. ⟨10.5194/hess-24-2379-2020⟩. ⟨hal-02569931⟩