Estuaries and other transitional water bodies such as bays, fjords and coastal lagoons are dynamic ecosystems with high biogeochemical turnover rates, acting as critical filters between terrestrial and marine environments. Their sharp biogeochemical gradients and nutrient retention play an important role in shaping ecosystem processes. The combination of high turnover, local hydrographic conditions and human-driven stressors strongly influences the spatio-temporal variability of greenhouse gases (GHG) cycling and sediment-water-air fluxes, ultimately driving changes in the net radiative balance of these coastal systems. Despite similarities in physico-chemical conditions, source/sink dynamics, and microbial communities across other coastal transitional water bodies at different latitudes, responses to environmental perturbations can vary significantly.
This session focuses on recent advances in understanding the biogeochemical cycling, microbial pathways, and fluxes of the major GHG carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) in estuarine and other transitional water bodies systems across all latitudes. Particular focus is set on nutrient and pollutant transport across the land-ocean continuum, submarine groundwater discharge, and benthic-pelagic coupling. Submissions addressing the current and projected responses in GHG cycling and emissions to anthropogenic-driven changes such as deoxygenation, eutrophication and warming (including associated events such as droughts and floods) are encouraged. We welcome contributions spanning laboratory and mesocosm experiments, field observations, remote sensing and modelling approaches.