Caracterización de los flujos de CO₂ y los parámetros asociados con el sistema de carbonato en el estuario Río Formoso, Brasil

Nine surface water surveys were performed in the Formoso estuary (Brazil) during 2012-2013 mainly in summer and winter periods and during spring tide. Temporal variations of temperature, salinity, phosphate, silicate, total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) and water-air CO₂ fluxes were analyzed. Low rates of water-air CO₂ fluxes (4.7 ± 8.0 mmol C m^-2 d^-1) were estimated despite the different climate conditions. pCO² values ranged from 190 to 988 matm. These values are lower than those observed in other tropical estuaries. CO₂ fluxes presented in this study contribute to the characterization of humid tropical estuarine systems, thus filling an important geographical information gap.