Abstract
Which influence the erosion rate exerts on the transport of alkalinity from the land to the ocean is one of the central, but so far largely unresolved questions. It is undisputed that the origin of alkalinity in the oceans is terrestrial erosion and weathering processes. It is equally undisputed that the interplay of erosion and alkalinity plays a critical role in determining Earth's climate on long time scales. Alkalinity in itself determines the amount of CO2 that the ocean can store, and thus the level of CO2 in the atmosphere. This work examines the influence of erosion rate and other controlling factors on river alkalinity at a global scale, and whether and how global climate change affects these relationships. It also examines the environmental factors that influence the release of alkalinity in an Arctic watershed and whether the rate of erosion in the Arctic itself is altered by climate change.
