Tropical mangrove forests as a source of dissolved rare earth elements and yttrium to the ocean

Rare earth elements (REEs) and Y, or REYs, are commonly used as geochemical proxies for water chemistry, history of the continental crust provenance studies. At continent-ocean interface, estuarine geochemistry REYs is thought to be driven by large-scale removal dissolved fraction. Consequently, contributions river-borne marine budget assumed represent a minor fraction total flux. Here, we report significant release together with fractionation between light REEs, heavy REEs in tropical mangrove estuaries New Caledonia. These observations were associated biogeochemical processes redox-dynamic system, rather than possible contribution from fresh groundwater source, based on stable isotope compositions. findings imply that may act sizeable source ocean buffer zones, at least We also extrapolated our data compute REY fluxes mangroves global oceans. This preliminary calculation suggests system supplies 2.6-5% Nd, an REE most comprehensive mass balance. Therefore, given remains unbalanced missing scale, considering input oceanic balance models help improve understanding distribution REYs.