Assessing the Benthic Response to Climate-Driven Methane Hydrate Destabilisation: State of the Art and Future Modelling Perspectives

Modern observations and geological records suggest that anthropogenic ocean warming could destabilise marine methane hydrate, resulting in release from the seafloor to ocean-atmosphere, potentially triggering a positive feedback on global temperature. On decadal millennial timescales over which hydrate-sourced is hypothesized occur, several processes consuming below above have potential slow, reduce or even prevent such release. Yet, modulating effect of these emissions remains poorly quantified, full impact benthic consumption carbon chemistry still be explored. In this review, we document dynamic interplay between hydrate thermodynamics, transport biogeochemical reaction processes, ultimately determines destabilisation cycle. Then, provide an overview how state-of-the-art numerical models treat examine their ability quantify seafloor, as well cycling. We discuss limitations current coupling thermodynamics different control efficiency sink, highlight shortcoming assessing implication Finally, recommend Earth system explicitly account for driven benthic-pelagic exchange fluxes capture hydrate-carbon cycle-climate feed-backs.