Chemical weathering and CO2 consumption in the upper Nyong Basin rivers (Central Africa): Insights on climatic and anthropogenic forcing in humid tropical environments

A hydrological and hydrochemical database (produced by the M-TROPICS critical zone observatory) in the upper Nyong Basin from 1998 to 2017 was used to evaluate the river's response to climatic and anthropogenic forcing and examine chemical weathering processes. SiO2 and HCO3− constitute about 85 % of the Total dissolved solids (TDS) load, equivalent to 0.12 × 109 kg. y−1. Electrical conductivity (EC), Total dissolved solids (TDS), major cations, major anions (except F− and NO3−) and alkalinity (Alk) vary seasonally and follow a predictable model with discharge. Atlantic Meridional Mode oscillation controls the long-term water chemistry. Atmospheric input and silicate weathering are the main factors influencing the Nyong rivers chemistry. However, several indices supported the progressive water quality deterioration by human activities, namely: the excess of Cl− and SO42− after the substraction of atmospheric inputs, the basic pH observed for specific samples, long-term increase in the values of pH, EC, TDS, EC, Mg2+, Ca2+, F−, NO3−, HCO3−, Alk, SiO2 and Dissolved Organic Carbon. Runoff and physical erosion have an important control on chemical erosion in the upper Nyong Basin rivers. The chemical erosion rate (3.3 t.km−2.y−1) equals the silicate weathering rate. The CO2 consumption rate, in the Nyong rivers, is lower than the global average (98× 103 for silicate weathering and 246 × 103 mol.km−2.y−1 for chemical erosion) and estimated at 52.3 × 103 for silicate weathering and 54.1 × 103 mol.km−2.y−1 for chemical erosion. At Olama, the most downstream location of the monitoring setup, the Nyong River Basin consumed 1 × 109 mol.y−1 of CO2 by chemical erosion. [Display omitted] •About 85 % of the annual solute load is made of SiO2 and HCO3−.•High runoff and physical erosion contribute to intense chemical weathering.•CO2-consumed rate by the Nyong River is lower than the global average.•Atlantic Meridional Mode oscillation controls long-term water chemistry.