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The Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Baltic Sea: Two different organic systems

Der Golf von St. Lawrence und die Ostsee: zwei unterschiedliche organisch-chemische Systeme

Le Golfe du Saint-Laurent et la Mer Baltique: deux systèmes organiques qui font contraste

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Summary

The Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Baltic Sea receive comparable quantities of freshwater annually but the inflow to the Baltic brings twice as much organic matter. Annual productionin situ is similar in the two systems (38 to 53 million tonnes per year as organic carbon) but less than 10% of the organic matter produced in, and brought by freshwater to, the Baltic leaves that system, whereas the export of organic matter from the Gulf is over 25%. Consequences are greater depletion of oxygen in the deeper waters, and accumulation of organic matter in the sediments, of the Baltic Sea, as compared to the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Zusammenfassung

Der Golf von St. Lawrence und die Ostsee gleichen sich hinsichtlich ihrer Süßwasserzuflüsse, aber die Süßwasserzuflüsse in die Ostsee bringen doppelt so viel organische Stoffe. Die Primärproduktion ist in beiden Gebieten mit 38 bis 53 Millionen Tonnen organischen Kohlenstoffs pro Jahr etwa gleich. Die Ostsee gibt von den zugeführten und durch Primärproduktion erzeugten organischen Stoffen etwa 9%, der Golf etwa 26% an die Nachbargewässer ab. Die Folge dieser Unterschiedlichkeit ist eine höhere Sauerstoffzehrung im Tiefenwasser sowie eine größere Anreicherung organischen Materials im Sediment der Ostsee.

Résumé

Le Golfe du Saint-Laurent et la Mer Baltique reçoivent chaque année des quantités d'eau douce comparables, mais l'intrusion d'eau douce dans la Mer Baltique y amène deux fois de plus de matière organique. La production primaire annuellein situ est identique dans les deux systèmes (38 à 53 millions de tonnes de carbone organique par an) mais il ne s'échappe de la Mer Baltique qu'environ 9% de la matière organique qui y est produite ou qui y est amenée par l'eau douce, tandis que la perte de matière organique dans le Golfe du Saint-Laurent est aux alentours de 26%. La conséquence pour la Mer Baltique, comparée au Golfe du Saint-Laurent, est un plus grand épuisement de l'oxygène dans les eaux profondes et une accumulation de matière organique dans les sédiments.

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Author notes

  1. Roger Pocklington

    Present address: Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, B2Y 4A2, Dartmouth, N. S., Kanada

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    Pocklington, R. The Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Baltic Sea: Two different organic systems. Deutsche Hydrographische Zeitschrift 39, 65–75 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02302927

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