LAUSR

Abstract Isoprene is the most abundant biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) on the planet, with annual emissions accounting for up to half of all BVOC emissions. Isoprene has been measured extensively in terrestrial habitats where it is highly abundant; however, there is limited knowledge on marine systems where it is found at lower concentrations. Here, we report for the first time isoprene fluxes from coral reef permeable carbonate sediments with a cover of microphytobenthos (MPB) from Heron and Lizard Islands, on the southern and northern ends of the Great Barrier Reef, respectively. Using advective and diffusive benthic chambers, we measured isoprene fluxes over full diel cycles on both islands. Net effluxes of isoprene from the sediment to the water column were observed at both Heron Island (mean: 10.0 ± 1.1 nmol m2 h−1) and Lizard Island (mean: 3.9 ± 0.9 nmol m2 h−1). Light isoprene fluxes were much higher on Heron Island than on Lizard Island and both islands had lower isoprene emissions in the dark. Higher isoprene fluxes during the day reflects the role of MPB photosynthesis in isoprene production. Lower isoprene fluxes at night is most likely due to isoprene consumption by microbial activity or less production in the absence of photosynthesis. The contribution of benthic isoprene emissions from coral reef carbonate sands worldwide (0.52 Gg C y−1) were estimated to represent less than 0.005% of the global marine atmospheric fluxes (11,600 Gg C y−1).