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Biogeochemical cycling of dissolved zinc along the GEOTRACES South Atlantic transect GA10 at 40°S

Biogeochemical cycling of dissolved zinc along the GEOTRACES South Atlantic transect GA10 at 40°S
Biogeochemical cycling of dissolved zinc along the GEOTRACES South Atlantic transect GA10 at 40°S

The biogeochemical cycle of zinc (Zn) in the South Atlantic, at 40°S, was investigated as part of the UK GEOTRACES program. To date there is little understanding of the supply of Zn, an essential requirement for phytoplankton growth, to this highly productive region. Vertical Zn profiles displayed nutrient-like distributions with distinct gradients associated with the water masses present. Surface Zn concentrations are among the lowest reported for the world's oceans (< 50 pM). A strong Zn-Si linear relationship was observed (Zn (nM) = 0.065 Si (μM), r2 = 0.97, n = 460). Our results suggest that the use of a global Zn-Si relationship would lead to an underestimation of dissolved Zn in deeper waters of the South Atlantic. By utilizing Si* and a new tracer Zn* our data indicate that the preferential removal of Zn in the Southern Ocean prevented a direct return path for dissolved Zn to the surface waters of the South Atlantic at 40°S and potentially the thermocline waters of the South Atlantic subtropical gyre. The importance of Zn for phytoplankton growth was evaluated using the Zn-soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) relationship. We hypothesize that the low Zn concentrations in the South Atlantic may select for phytoplankton cells with a lower Zn requirement. In addition, a much deeper kink at ~ 500m in the Zn:SRP ratio was observed compared to other oceanic regions. Key Points Dissolved zinc biogeochemical cycle investigated in the South Atlantic Ocean

Biogeochemistry, Chemical oceanography, GEOTRACES, South Atlantic, Zinc
0886-6236
44-56
Wyatt, N. J.
258d214b-9dae-4a5f-acc9-c0a55fb66efd
Milne, A.
e496b797-6206-414e-8f50-d2f2ce260fc9
Woodward, E. M S
6e57d5d0-c1bd-49e8-b9eb-a1816edaf676
Rees, A. P.
5cc3b9f5-8e06-4364-9137-6fa171faa4e8
Browning, T. J.
0158e7b6-6096-4b75-a8a7-2b2f0b8b59e0
Bouman, H. A.
28b8c54e-3365-43a5-89ed-16ae62bcaf1e
Worsfold, P. J.
2edcddc5-ce8e-4f9f-8628-216a26921979
Lohan, M. C.
6ca10597-2d0f-40e8-8e4f-7619dfac5088
Wyatt, N. J.
258d214b-9dae-4a5f-acc9-c0a55fb66efd
Milne, A.
e496b797-6206-414e-8f50-d2f2ce260fc9
Woodward, E. M S
6e57d5d0-c1bd-49e8-b9eb-a1816edaf676
Rees, A. P.
5cc3b9f5-8e06-4364-9137-6fa171faa4e8
Browning, T. J.
0158e7b6-6096-4b75-a8a7-2b2f0b8b59e0
Bouman, H. A.
28b8c54e-3365-43a5-89ed-16ae62bcaf1e
Worsfold, P. J.
2edcddc5-ce8e-4f9f-8628-216a26921979
Lohan, M. C.
6ca10597-2d0f-40e8-8e4f-7619dfac5088

Wyatt, N. J., Milne, A., Woodward, E. M S, Rees, A. P., Browning, T. J., Bouman, H. A., Worsfold, P. J. and Lohan, M. C. (2014) Biogeochemical cycling of dissolved zinc along the GEOTRACES South Atlantic transect GA10 at 40°S. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 28 (1), 44-56. (doi:10.1002/2013GB004637).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The biogeochemical cycle of zinc (Zn) in the South Atlantic, at 40°S, was investigated as part of the UK GEOTRACES program. To date there is little understanding of the supply of Zn, an essential requirement for phytoplankton growth, to this highly productive region. Vertical Zn profiles displayed nutrient-like distributions with distinct gradients associated with the water masses present. Surface Zn concentrations are among the lowest reported for the world's oceans (< 50 pM). A strong Zn-Si linear relationship was observed (Zn (nM) = 0.065 Si (μM), r2 = 0.97, n = 460). Our results suggest that the use of a global Zn-Si relationship would lead to an underestimation of dissolved Zn in deeper waters of the South Atlantic. By utilizing Si* and a new tracer Zn* our data indicate that the preferential removal of Zn in the Southern Ocean prevented a direct return path for dissolved Zn to the surface waters of the South Atlantic at 40°S and potentially the thermocline waters of the South Atlantic subtropical gyre. The importance of Zn for phytoplankton growth was evaluated using the Zn-soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) relationship. We hypothesize that the low Zn concentrations in the South Atlantic may select for phytoplankton cells with a lower Zn requirement. In addition, a much deeper kink at ~ 500m in the Zn:SRP ratio was observed compared to other oceanic regions. Key Points Dissolved zinc biogeochemical cycle investigated in the South Atlantic Ocean

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 20 December 2013
Published date: 27 January 2014
Keywords: Biogeochemistry, Chemical oceanography, GEOTRACES, South Atlantic, Zinc
Organisations: Marine Biogeochemistry, Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 406481
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/406481
ISSN: 0886-6236
PURE UUID: 0c94f397-4d53-4a74-8727-cc9396baa3c6
ORCID for N. J. Wyatt: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1080-7778
ORCID for M. C. Lohan: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5340-3108

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Date deposited: 18 Mar 2017 02:20
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 01:51

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Contributors

Author: N. J. Wyatt ORCID iD
Author: A. Milne
Author: E. M S Woodward
Author: A. P. Rees
Author: T. J. Browning
Author: H. A. Bouman
Author: P. J. Worsfold
Author: M. C. Lohan ORCID iD

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