Foraminifera-derived carbon contribution to sedimentary inorganic carbon pool: A case study from three Norwegian fjords

Abstract

Norwegian fjords have been recently recognized as hot spots for carbon burial due to the large amounts of terrestrial organic matter delivered to fjord sediments, as well as the high sediment accumulation rates. Here, we present the first data on the contribution of benthic foraminiferal inorganic carbon to the sediments of three Norwegian fjords. Our study shows that calcareous foraminifera, which are among the most abundant calcifying organisms in the modern global oceans, can constitute between 15% and 33% of inorganic carbon accumulated in the sediments of the two studied southern Norwegian fjords (Raunefjorden and Hjeltefjorden). In a northern Norwegian fjord (Balsfjorden), the contribution of calcareous foraminifera to the inorganic carbon pool is smaller (<1%) than the one observed in southern fjords. We also found that the amount of foraminifera-derived carbon is primarily dependent on the species composition of the foraminifera community. Large calcareous foraminifera species, despite a lower number of individuals, constitute, on average, 13%-29% of the inorganic carbon in the two southern Norwegian fjords, while the contribution of small, highly abundant species does not exceed 4% of the inorganic carbon pools in the sediments. Calcareous foraminifera species that are indicative of dysoxic conditions have been found to have low inorganic carbon contents per specimen compared to other analysed similar-sized calcareous foraminifera species. This relationship most likely exists due to the thin test walls of these foraminifera species, which may facilitate gas exchange. The results of our case study suggest that the climate-driven formation of near-bottom low-oxygen zones may lead to the dominance of foraminifera associated with dysoxic conditions and, in consequence, to the decrease of foraminifera-derived inorganic carbon. However, to properly analyse the contribution of carbon from thin-walled foraminifera to the sedimentary carbon pool, further studies analysing a broader range of these species is needed.

Keywords: carbon burial; fjords; foraminifera; inorganic carbon; pool; sedimentary carbon.