Attenuation of particulate organic carbon flux in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean, is controlled by zooplankton fecal pellets
Attenuation of particulate organic carbon flux in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean, is controlled by zooplankton fecal pellets
The Southern Ocean (SO) is an important CO2 reservoir, some of which enters via the production, sinking and remineralization of organic matter. Recent work suggests the fraction of production that sinks is inversely related to production in the SO, a suggestion we confirm from 20 stations in the Scotia Sea. The efficiency with which exported material is transferred to depth (transfer efficiency) is believed to be low in high latitude systems. However, our estimates of transfer efficiency are bimodal, with stations in the seasonal ice zone showing intense losses and others displaying increases in flux with depth. Zooplankton fecal pellets dominated organic carbon flux and at stations with transfer efficiency >100 % fecal pellets were brown, indicative of fresh phytodetritus. We suggest that active flux mediated by zooplankton vertical migration and the presence of sea ice regulate the transfer of organic carbon into the oceans interior in the Southern Ocean.
carbon export, marine particles, transfer efficiency
821-830
Cavan, E.L.
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Le Moigne, F.A.C.
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Poulton, A.J.
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Tarling, G.A.
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Ward, P.
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Daniels, C.J.
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Fragoso, G.
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Sanders, R.J.
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16 February 2015
Cavan, E.L.
aca6bc0e-f2ba-4378-8be6-4da7e1e9da31
Le Moigne, F.A.C.
548c65d1-ce2d-4302-8d64-e80a964533b5
Poulton, A.J.
14bf64a7-d617-4913-b882-e8495543e717
Tarling, G.A.
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Ward, P.
be8f5e51-8144-43cf-8c11-e0c7cf87b86c
Daniels, C.J.
e4a51f9d-efe6-413a-8d3f-3f1eda5ce79f
Fragoso, G.
bc4c50bc-6e76-451a-9409-0949789b29b0
Sanders, R.J.
02c163c1-8f5e-49ad-857c-d28f7da66c65
Cavan, E.L., Le Moigne, F.A.C., Poulton, A.J., Tarling, G.A., Ward, P., Daniels, C.J., Fragoso, G. and Sanders, R.J.
(2015)
Attenuation of particulate organic carbon flux in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean, is controlled by zooplankton fecal pellets.
Geophysical Research Letters, 42 (3), .
(doi:10.1002/2014GL062744).
Abstract
The Southern Ocean (SO) is an important CO2 reservoir, some of which enters via the production, sinking and remineralization of organic matter. Recent work suggests the fraction of production that sinks is inversely related to production in the SO, a suggestion we confirm from 20 stations in the Scotia Sea. The efficiency with which exported material is transferred to depth (transfer efficiency) is believed to be low in high latitude systems. However, our estimates of transfer efficiency are bimodal, with stations in the seasonal ice zone showing intense losses and others displaying increases in flux with depth. Zooplankton fecal pellets dominated organic carbon flux and at stations with transfer efficiency >100 % fecal pellets were brown, indicative of fresh phytodetritus. We suggest that active flux mediated by zooplankton vertical migration and the presence of sea ice regulate the transfer of organic carbon into the oceans interior in the Southern Ocean.
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Accepted/In Press date: January 2015
Published date: 16 February 2015
Keywords:
carbon export, marine particles, transfer efficiency
Organisations:
Ocean and Earth Science, Marine Biogeochemistry
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 373485
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/373485
ISSN: 0094-8276
PURE UUID: ea0f1b91-ffbe-4b1a-8457-e398a30ca618
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Date deposited: 19 Jan 2015 16:12
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 18:53
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Contributors
Author:
E.L. Cavan
Author:
F.A.C. Le Moigne
Author:
A.J. Poulton
Author:
G.A. Tarling
Author:
P. Ward
Author:
C.J. Daniels
Author:
G. Fragoso
Author:
R.J. Sanders
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