Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5053
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5053
12 Dec 2025
 | 12 Dec 2025

Shoreline exposure controls teal carbon accumulation in boreal lakes

Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, Max O. A. Kankainen, Sakari Väkevä, Eero Asmala, Marko Järvinen, Karoliina Koho, and Tom Jilbert

Abstract. Aquatic vegetated ecosystems play an important role in global carbon sequestration. While research on coastal marine environments has expanded in recent decades, freshwater vegetated shorelines remain understudied despite their potential for significant carbon burial. This is especially relevant in boreal landscapes with high numbers of small, shallow lakes. In this study, we quantify organic carbon stocks (mass of carbon per area) in boreal lacustrine vegetated shorelines, so-called teal carbon environments. Moreover, we identified the main environmental drivers of carbon storage in these areas. We took 27 sediment cores from three large lakes in Finland with available satellite data of macrophyte coverage. At each site, sediment cores were sampled along a depth transect through macrophyte zones, from the landside towards the waterside. Sedimentary organic carbon (SOC) stocks ranged from 0 to 40.8 kg m−2, and showed a large spatial variability among lakes, zones and type of vegetation. We identified grain size as the most significant parameter explaining variability in the size of SOC stocks. Sites dominated by silts and with large SOC stocks were found in sheltered embayments, independent of proximity to rivers, density of vegetation or slope of the shoreline, implying a strong control of exposure on SOC accumulation. In more exposed areas, vegetation density might play an additional controlling role in SOC accumulation. Accounting for shoreline exposure is crucial for improving regional carbon budget estimates. This study highlights the central role of teal carbon ecosystems in carbon cycling in the boreal zone, often characterized by very high densities of lakes.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

28 May 2026
| Highlight paper
Shoreline exposure controls teal carbon accumulation in boreal lakes
Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, Max O. A. Kankainen, Sakari Väkevä, Eero Asmala, Marko Järvinen, Karoliina Koho, and Tom Jilbert
Biogeosciences, 23, 3637–3653, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-3637-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-3637-2026, 2026
Short summary Editorial statement
Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, Max O. A. Kankainen, Sakari Väkevä, Eero Asmala, Marko Järvinen, Karoliina Koho, and Tom Jilbert

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-5053', Anonymous Referee #1, 27 Jan 2026
    • RC2: 'Reply on RC1', Anonymous Referee #2, 26 Feb 2026
      • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, 25 Mar 2026
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, 25 Mar 2026

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-5053', Anonymous Referee #1, 27 Jan 2026
    • RC2: 'Reply on RC1', Anonymous Referee #2, 26 Feb 2026
      • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, 25 Mar 2026
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, 25 Mar 2026

Peer review completion

AR – Author's response | RR – Referee report | ED – Editor decision | EF – Editorial file upload
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (07 Apr 2026) by Robert Rhew
AR by Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner on behalf of the Authors (04 May 2026)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (13 May 2026) by Robert Rhew
AR by Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner on behalf of the Authors (15 May 2026)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

28 May 2026
| Highlight paper
Shoreline exposure controls teal carbon accumulation in boreal lakes
Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, Max O. A. Kankainen, Sakari Väkevä, Eero Asmala, Marko Järvinen, Karoliina Koho, and Tom Jilbert
Biogeosciences, 23, 3637–3653, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-3637-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-3637-2026, 2026
Short summary Editorial statement
Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, Max O. A. Kankainen, Sakari Väkevä, Eero Asmala, Marko Järvinen, Karoliina Koho, and Tom Jilbert
Ana Lúcia Lindroth Dauner, Max O. A. Kankainen, Sakari Väkevä, Eero Asmala, Marko Järvinen, Karoliina Koho, and Tom Jilbert

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Short summary
Aquatic vegetated ecosystems are important for global carbon sequestration, but freshwater shorelines remain understudied. We found that the sedimentary organic carbon (SOC) stocks ranged from 0 to 40.8 kg m−2, with a large spatial variability. Large SOC stocks were found in sheltered areas, with the predominance of fine-grained sediments. In exposed areas, vegetation might also impact SOC accumulation. Accounting for shoreline exposure is crucial for improving regional carbon budget estimates.
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