High particulate organic carbon export during the decline of a vast diatom bloom in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean


Contact
Michiel.Rutgers.v.d.Loeff [ at ] awi.de

Abstract

Carbon fixation by phytoplankton plays a key role in the uptake of atmospheric CO2 in the Southern Ocean. Yet, it still remains unclear how efficiently the particulate organic carbon (POC) is exported and transferred from ocean surface waters to depth during phytoplankton blooms. In addition, little is known about the processes that control the flux attenuation within the upper twilight zone. Here, we present results of downward POC and particulate organic nitrogen fluxes during the decline of a vast diatom bloom in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean in summer 2012. We used thorium-234 (234Th) as a particle tracer in combination with drifting sediment traps (ST). Their simultaneous use evidenced a sustained high export rate of 234Th at 100 m depth in the weeks prior to and during the sampling period. The entire study area, of approximately 8000 km2, showed similar vertical export fluxes in spite of the heterogeneity in phytoplankton standing stocks and productivity, indicating a decoupling between production and export. The POC fluxes at 100 m were high, averaging 26±15 mmol C m−2 d−1, although the strength of the biological pump was generally low. Only <20% of the daily primary production reached 100 m, presumably due to an active recycling of carbon and nutrients. Pigment analyses indicated that direct sinking of diatoms likely caused the high POC transfer efficiencies (~60%) observed between 100 and 300 m, although faecal pellets and transport of POC linked to zooplankton vertical migration might have also contributed to downward fluxes.



Item Type
Article
Authors
Divisions
Primary Division
Programs
Primary Topic
Publication Status
Published
Eprint ID
39346
DOI https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2015.12.007

Cite as
Roca-Martí, M. , Puigcorbé, V. , Iversen, M. H. , van der Loeff, M. R. , Klaas, C. , Cheah, W. , Bracher, A. and Masqué, P. (2017): High particulate organic carbon export during the decline of a vast diatom bloom in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean , Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 138 , pp. 102-115 . doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2015.12.007


Download
[thumbnail of Roca-Marti_etal_2017.pdf]
Preview
PDF
Roca-Marti_etal_2017.pdf

Download (1MB) | Preview
Cite this document as:

Share


Citation

Geographical region

Research Platforms

Campaigns
ANT > XXVIII > 3


Actions
Edit Item Edit Item