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Signature of organic matter exported from naturally Fe-fertilised oceanic waters

Signature of organic matter exported from naturally Fe-fertilised oceanic waters
Signature of organic matter exported from naturally Fe-fertilised oceanic waters
Biomarker distributions and organic carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of organic matter (OM) produced in surface waters around the Crozet Plateau (Southern Ocean) are significantly different between a Fe-fertilised region (north) and a high nutrient low chlorophyll region (HNLC, south). If these OM signatures are exported to and preserved in surface sediments, they could potentially be used as palaeo-proxies for identifying Fe-fertilisation events in the past. Here, we assess the alteration of the OM signature through the water column and at the sediment–water interface by comparing organic signatures in surface waters, sediment traps and surface sediments. Our results suggest that there is significant degradation of OM during transport to the sea floor, which causes reduced fluxes of biomarkers to sediments north and east of the Crozet Plateau. Sterols, alkenones and C27 and C29 12-hydroxymethyl alkanoates, and C28 1,14-diols appear to be less labile than total organic carbon (TOC), except to the north, where alkenones and sterols are more rapidly degraded than TOC. Sedimentary bulk and compound specific ?13C values also reflect surface water productivity patterns, with elevated values occurring in sediments underlying the Fe-fertilised waters. In contrast, ?15N values appear to be strongly biased by degradation and grazing during export and burial. Thus, only some of the differences observed in surface waters between the Fe- fertilised and HNLC areas are exported to deep waters and preserved in the sedimentary record, suggesting that caution is required in the application of these proxies to studies of ocean palaeoproductivity.
Palaeoproducvity proxies, Biomarkers, Degradation, Southern Ocean
0967-0637
59-72
Hernandez-Sanchez, Maria T.
aab022ef-6dd6-4e6d-8e8e-679231857261
Holtvoeth, Jens
9d75ac16-0386-4d60-bc5e-b66fbcdce91e
Mills, Rachel A.
a664f299-1a34-4b63-9988-1e599b756706
Fisher, Elizabeth H.
21887fdb-54b5-4ac7-8910-560a7b59520c
Wolff, George A.
6b29d886-06f9-4405-8fab-33cfb436acaa
Pancost, Richard D.
5914e19e-7777-4304-9fd8-86e2e9cfe8a1
Hernandez-Sanchez, Maria T.
aab022ef-6dd6-4e6d-8e8e-679231857261
Holtvoeth, Jens
9d75ac16-0386-4d60-bc5e-b66fbcdce91e
Mills, Rachel A.
a664f299-1a34-4b63-9988-1e599b756706
Fisher, Elizabeth H.
21887fdb-54b5-4ac7-8910-560a7b59520c
Wolff, George A.
6b29d886-06f9-4405-8fab-33cfb436acaa
Pancost, Richard D.
5914e19e-7777-4304-9fd8-86e2e9cfe8a1

Hernandez-Sanchez, Maria T., Holtvoeth, Jens, Mills, Rachel A., Fisher, Elizabeth H., Wolff, George A. and Pancost, Richard D. (2012) Signature of organic matter exported from naturally Fe-fertilised oceanic waters. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 65, 59-72. (doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2012.02.007).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Biomarker distributions and organic carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of organic matter (OM) produced in surface waters around the Crozet Plateau (Southern Ocean) are significantly different between a Fe-fertilised region (north) and a high nutrient low chlorophyll region (HNLC, south). If these OM signatures are exported to and preserved in surface sediments, they could potentially be used as palaeo-proxies for identifying Fe-fertilisation events in the past. Here, we assess the alteration of the OM signature through the water column and at the sediment–water interface by comparing organic signatures in surface waters, sediment traps and surface sediments. Our results suggest that there is significant degradation of OM during transport to the sea floor, which causes reduced fluxes of biomarkers to sediments north and east of the Crozet Plateau. Sterols, alkenones and C27 and C29 12-hydroxymethyl alkanoates, and C28 1,14-diols appear to be less labile than total organic carbon (TOC), except to the north, where alkenones and sterols are more rapidly degraded than TOC. Sedimentary bulk and compound specific ?13C values also reflect surface water productivity patterns, with elevated values occurring in sediments underlying the Fe-fertilised waters. In contrast, ?15N values appear to be strongly biased by degradation and grazing during export and burial. Thus, only some of the differences observed in surface waters between the Fe- fertilised and HNLC areas are exported to deep waters and preserved in the sedimentary record, suggesting that caution is required in the application of these proxies to studies of ocean palaeoproductivity.

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More information

Published date: July 2012
Keywords: Palaeoproducvity proxies, Biomarkers, Degradation, Southern Ocean
Organisations: Geochemistry

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 341923
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/341923
ISSN: 0967-0637
PURE UUID: b5779709-98d6-4708-9033-083b9a0c5b47
ORCID for Rachel A. Mills: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9811-246X

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Date deposited: 07 Aug 2012 10:50
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:46

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Contributors

Author: Maria T. Hernandez-Sanchez
Author: Jens Holtvoeth
Author: Rachel A. Mills ORCID iD
Author: Elizabeth H. Fisher
Author: George A. Wolff
Author: Richard D. Pancost

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