Variations in 14C Reservoir Ages of Black Sea Waters and Sedimentary Organic Carbon during Anoxic Periods: Influence of Photosynthetic Versus Chemoautotrophic Production

Abstract

Radiocarbon activity of dissolved inorganic carbon has been measured in the northwestern Black Sea. Both continental shelf and open-sea profiles show that surface waters are in equilibrium with the atmosphere. The observed distribution of 14C activity shows a weak contribution of the deep 14C-depleted CO2 to the photic zone. Such a distribution of 14C within the water column is unable to explain the aging of sedimentary organic matter and reservoir ages greater than 500 yr. A contribution of production by chemoautotrophic bacteria feeding on 14C-depleted methane at the boundary of the oxic and anoxic zones is a realistic hypothesis. Also, a contribution to sedimentary organic carbon estimated at 15% of the photosynthetic primary production could explain 14C reservoir ages greater than 1300 yr.