| A diagenetic model of porewater O-2 was used to examine the relationship between organic carbon flux to the sediments and benthic oxygen demand (BOD). The model predicted that the organic carbon influx to sediments balances BOD as long as sediments are oxygenated. The critical rate occurs when O-2 at infinite depth disappears. With influxes exceeding the critical rate, the O-2 flux into the sediments via molecular diffusion can not consume all incoming organic matter, and anaerobic conditions result in BOD underestimating the carbon influx. Given that low rates of deep-sea BOD approximate the carbon influx below 9 g.C.m(-2).y(-1), a significant multilinear regression was found between published BOD, primary productivity (P-p, both in g.C.m(-2).y(-1))(,)... |
