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Global patterns in efficiency of particulate organic carbon export and transfer to the deep ocean

Global patterns in efficiency of particulate organic carbon export and transfer to the deep ocean
Global patterns in efficiency of particulate organic carbon export and transfer to the deep ocean
The ocean's biological carbon pump is a key component of the global carbon cycle. Only a small fraction of the carbon fixed by primary production is exported to the deep ocean, yet this flux sets to first order the efficiency with which carbon is sequestered out of further contact with the atmosphere on long time scales. Here we examine global patterns in particle export efficiency (PEeff), the proportion of primary production that is exported from the surface ocean, and transfer efficiency (Teff), the fraction of exported organic matter that reaches the deep ocean. Previous studies have found a positive correlation between Teff and deep ocean calcite fluxes recovered from sediment traps, implying that ballasting by calcium carbonate may play an important role in regulating Teff. An alternative explanation is that this correlation is not causative, as regions where the dominant biomineral phase is calcite tend to be subtropical systems, which are hypothesized to produce sinking aggregates highly resistant to degradation. We attempt to distinguish between these alternative hypotheses on the control of Teff by examining the relationship between Teff and biomineral phases exported from the upper ocean, rather than those collected in deep traps. Global scale estimates derived from satellite data show, in keeping with earlier studies, that PEeff is high at high latitudes and low at low latitudes, but that Teff is low at high latitudes and high at low latitudes. However, in contrast to the relationship observed for deep biomineral fluxes in previous studies, we find that Teff is strongly negatively correlated with opal export flux from the upper ocean, but uncorrelated with calcium carbonate export flux. We hypothesize that the underlying factor governing the spatial patterns observed in Teff is ecosystem function, specifically the degree of recycling occurring in the upper ocean, rather than the availability of calcium carbonate for ballasting.
0886-6236
GB1028
Henson, Stephanie A.
d6532e17-a65b-4d7b-9ee3-755ecb565c19
Sanders, Richard
02c163c1-8f5e-49ad-857c-d28f7da66c65
Madsen, Esben
e68b7267-eae0-44b8-88af-cacf9bc21360
Henson, Stephanie A.
d6532e17-a65b-4d7b-9ee3-755ecb565c19
Sanders, Richard
02c163c1-8f5e-49ad-857c-d28f7da66c65
Madsen, Esben
e68b7267-eae0-44b8-88af-cacf9bc21360

Henson, Stephanie A., Sanders, Richard and Madsen, Esben (2012) Global patterns in efficiency of particulate organic carbon export and transfer to the deep ocean. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 26 (1), GB1028. (doi:10.1029/2011GB004099).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The ocean's biological carbon pump is a key component of the global carbon cycle. Only a small fraction of the carbon fixed by primary production is exported to the deep ocean, yet this flux sets to first order the efficiency with which carbon is sequestered out of further contact with the atmosphere on long time scales. Here we examine global patterns in particle export efficiency (PEeff), the proportion of primary production that is exported from the surface ocean, and transfer efficiency (Teff), the fraction of exported organic matter that reaches the deep ocean. Previous studies have found a positive correlation between Teff and deep ocean calcite fluxes recovered from sediment traps, implying that ballasting by calcium carbonate may play an important role in regulating Teff. An alternative explanation is that this correlation is not causative, as regions where the dominant biomineral phase is calcite tend to be subtropical systems, which are hypothesized to produce sinking aggregates highly resistant to degradation. We attempt to distinguish between these alternative hypotheses on the control of Teff by examining the relationship between Teff and biomineral phases exported from the upper ocean, rather than those collected in deep traps. Global scale estimates derived from satellite data show, in keeping with earlier studies, that PEeff is high at high latitudes and low at low latitudes, but that Teff is low at high latitudes and high at low latitudes. However, in contrast to the relationship observed for deep biomineral fluxes in previous studies, we find that Teff is strongly negatively correlated with opal export flux from the upper ocean, but uncorrelated with calcium carbonate export flux. We hypothesize that the underlying factor governing the spatial patterns observed in Teff is ecosystem function, specifically the degree of recycling occurring in the upper ocean, rather than the availability of calcium carbonate for ballasting.

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Published date: 2012
Organisations: Marine Biogeochemistry

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 337017
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/337017
ISSN: 0886-6236
PURE UUID: 892b1974-8a94-41c4-a7ed-e32fff950838

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Date deposited: 13 Apr 2012 14:48
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 10:48

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Contributors

Author: Richard Sanders
Author: Esben Madsen

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