Carbon and Nutrient Fluxes in Continental Margins

The book provides best estimates of carbon and nutrient fluxes in seven types of continental margins. In each type, these fluxes are reported in detail individually for 3-7 representative geographic regions, each of which is characterized by concise descriptions of the physical and biogeochemical settings. Drawn from the regional synthesis, a global synthesis is put together for carbon fluxes exchanged between continental margins as a whole and the atmosphere and between that and the open ocean. Global syntheses on sediments and nutrients discharged to the ocean from land are also provided in the book. To guide future research on continental margin biogeochemistry, the book also elaborates on a few critical themes that emerged in recent years. One of these is the human impact on the continental margin biogeochemistry, which accentuates the need to include human perturbation of the system in future research. Thus the book represents the state-of-the-art knowledge on the subject, which will be needed for all researchers on continental margin environmental issues. TOC:Part I. Background, Goals and Perspectives: 1. Biogeochemistry of continental margins in a global context.- Part II. Regional Syntheses: 2. Eastern Boundary Currents.- 3. Western Boundary Currents.- 4. Indian Ocean Margins.- 5. Subpolar Margins.- 6. Polar Margins.- 7. The Marginal Seas.- 8. Tropical Margins.- Part III. Arising Issues and New Approaches: 9. Examining Human Impacts on Global Biogeochemical Cycling via the Coastal Zone and Ocean Margins.- 10. Si Transformations Along the Land-Ocean-Continuum: Implications for the Global Carbon Cycle.- 11. Submarine Groundwater Discharge and Associated Nutrient Fluxes to the Coastal Ocean.- 12. Coupled Circulation-Biogeochemical Models to Estimate Carbon Flux.- Part IV. Cross Boundary Fluxes, Global Synthesis and Outlook: 13. Cross Boundary Exchanges of Carbon and Nitrogen in the Marginal Seas.- 14. Carbon-Nitrogen-Phosphorus Fluxes in the Coastal Zone: The LOICZ Approach to Global Assessment.- 15. Sediment and Carbon Accumulation on Continental Shelves.- 16. Global Synthesis.- 17. Global Change and Future Research in Continental Margins.- Appendix: A.1. Data and Information Management for the CMTT Synthesis.- A.2. Introduction to a SeaWiFS chlorophyll database and an analysis tool.- A.3. Supplementary materials.- A.4. Acronyms and Abbreviations.