Large scale submarine groundwater discharge dominates nutrient inputs to China’s coast

Tianyi Zhu, Shibin Zhao, Bochao Xu (), Dongyan Liu, M. Bayani Cardenas, Huaming Yu, Yan Zhang, Xiaogang Chen, Kai Xiao, Lixin Yi, Hyung-Mi Cho, Sumei Liu, Ziliang Zhang, Ergang Lian, William C. Burnett, Guangquan Chen, Zhigang Yu () and Isaac R. Santos
Additional contact information
Tianyi Zhu: Ocean University of China
Shibin Zhao: Ocean University of China
Bochao Xu: Ocean University of China
Dongyan Liu: East China Normal University
M. Bayani Cardenas: University of Texas at Austin
Huaming Yu: Ocean University of China
Yan Zhang: China University of Geosciences (Beijing)
Xiaogang Chen: Westlake University
Kai Xiao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lixin Yi: 94 Weijin Rd
Hyung-Mi Cho: Inha University
Sumei Liu: Ocean University of China
Ziliang Zhang: Ocean University of China
Ergang Lian: Ministry of Ecology and Environment
William C. Burnett: Florida State University
Guangquan Chen: Ministry of Natural Resources
Zhigang Yu: Ocean University of China
Isaac R. Santos: University of Gothenburg

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a nutrient source to coastal waters. However, most SGD estimates are restricted to a local scale and hardly distinguish contributions from fresh (FSGD) and recirculated (RSGD) SGD. Here, we compiled data on radium/radon of groundwater (n ~ 2000) and seawater (n ~ 10,000) samples along ~18,000 km of China’s coastal seas to resolve large scale FSGD and RSGD and their associated nutrient loads. Nearshore-scale FSGD ( ~ 3.56 × 108 m3 d−1) was only 2% of the total SGD but comparable to RSGD in terms of nutrient loads. Despite large uncertainties quantified via Monte Carlo simulations, SGD was a dominant contributor to China’s coastal nutrient budgets, with dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus and silicate fluxes of ~395, 2.9, and 581 Gmol a−1, respectively. Total SGD accounted for 19–54% of nutrient inputs, exceeding inputs from atmospheric deposition and rivers. Overall, SGD helps sustaining primary production along one of the most human-impacted marginal seas on Earth.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58103-y

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