The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

2027 Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

January 12-15, 2027

Subglacial meltwater discharge drives contrasting responses of the biological carbon pump in land- vs. marine-terminating fjords in Southeastern Greenland
ID:1280 Poster Presentation

2027-01-15 16:15 (China Standard Time)

Session:Session 13 - High-Latitude Marine Biogeochemical Dynamics and Environmental Change: Coupled Processes, Carbon–Nutrient Cycles, and Polar Futures

Abstract
Accelerating melting of Greenland Ice Sheet drives widespread retreats of both land- and marine-terminating glaciers, releases substantial subglacial freshwater and terrigenous particles into Greenlandic fjords, and reshapes biogeochemical cycles and the marine biological carbon pump within these systems. Subglacial discharge from land and marine terminating glaciers impact surface productivity differently within fjords, yet direct measurements of water column particulate organic carbon (POC) fluxes in Greenlandic fjords are scarce. Here, we present summer time variations in ²³⁴Th–derived POC fluxes from the Lindenow (land-terminating) and Sermilik fjords (marine-terminating) in the Southeastern Greenland. Water column temperature, salinity, turbidity, current velocity, total and particulate ²³⁴Th activities, and particulate organic carbon and nutrient concentrations were measured along multiple transects to quantify the marine biological carbon pump strength and transfer efficiency. Preliminary results show contrasting vertical ²³⁴Th profiles and spatial POC fluxes at different fjords. In Lindenow, we observed low POC flux at inner fjord and significantly higher POC fluxes in outer fjord. We attribute this spatial POC flux variations to surface runoff from land-terminating glaciers that delivers high loads of terrigenous particles to surface waters, suppressing surface production and lowering carbon export efficiency in the inner fjord. In contrast, data from marine-terminating Sermilik Fjord reveal clear subsurface increases in both total ²³⁴Th activity and POC flux in inner fjord that correlate with enhanced water column turbidity, indicating a significant terrigenous POC contribution from subglacial discharge. Our study demonstrates that modes of subglacial meltwater supply are keys controlling high latitude, nearshore marine carbon cycles, and that water column ²³⁴Th distributions are sensitive to both in situ POC production in the euphotic zone and subsurface terrigenous POC supply in high-latitude fjord systems.
Speaker
Xuena Hu Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Author
Xuena Hu State Key Laboratory of Submarine Geoscience, School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

    Important Dates

    • Jan 30

      2026

      Session / Event proposals open

    • Mar 31

      2026

      Session / Event proposals close
      (Extended to April 7)

    • Apr 30

      2026

      Session acceptance notifications

    • Apr 30

      2026

      Abstract submissions & registration open

    • Jun 30

      2026

      Abstract submissions close
      (Extended to July 21)

    • Aug 31

      2026

      Abstract acceptance notifications

    • Sep 15

      2026

      Scientific program released

    • Oct 15

      2026

      Early bird registration closes

    • Jan 12–15

      2027

      XMAS 2027