Objective The aim of this project is to collect data about the carbon cycle in coastal zones in order to determine the role of coastal zones in the oceanic carbon cycle. Field data about the carbon cycle were collected from 2 European coastal areas. Fluxes of carbon (atmosphere and sediment) in the Bay of Clavi (FR), and parameter distribution through the salinity gradient of the Tamar Estuary (UK) are given.The effective role of the oceans in the global carbon cycle is a subject of discussion concerning their role in the buffering of the atmospheric human induced carbon dioxide excess. Although coastal zones, including shelves, represent about 10% of the oceanic area, they could account for more than 25% of the total production. The experimental protocol consists of monitoring carbon (organic and inorganic), as well as associated parameters (nutrients, oxygen, chlorophyll and metals), in the water column together with exchanges of carbon with the atmosphere, with the sediment and by hydrodynamic processes.The experimental protocol will consist of monitoring organic and inorganic carbon in the water column together with the exchanges of carbon with the atmosphere, with the sediment, with benthic andor pelagic ecosystems as well as by hydrodynamic processes. The project will be carried out in 3 quite different European coastal zones: the Bay of Calvi (Mediterranean Sea), the Tamar Estuary (Channel) and the Aveiro Lagoon (Atlantic Ocean). The project also includes the intercalibration of 2 methods used to measure air-sea gas exchanges (the tracer one applied to SF6 and the direct method applied to CO2) and the intercalibration of 3 parameters used to calculate the inorganic carbon speciation (alkalinity, pH and PCO2) in a wide range of conditions. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems Programme(s) FP2-MAST 1 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of marine science and technology (MAST), 1989-1992 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Université de Liège EU contribution No data Address Sart Tilman 4000 Liège Belgium See on map Total cost No data Participants (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all NERC Centre of Coastal and Marine Sciences United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Prospect Place West Hoe PL1 3DH Plymouth See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF AVEIRO Portugal EU contribution No data Address Campo Universitario de Santiago 3810-193 AVEIRO See on map Total cost No data