Twice as much carbon flowing from land to ocean than previously thought

After accounting for these effects, the authors were up for a surprise: they found much higher numbers for the land to ocean carbon transfer of 900-1900 million tons per year (see Figure). Most of non-riverine carbon inputs of about 300-1300 million tons of carbon per year occur mostly along the coastlines of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. “This is consistent with the idea that groundwater discharge and coastal ecosystems, the so-called blue carbon, play a fundamental role in the global carbon cycle” says Dr. Kwon.