The cadmium-phosphate relationship in brine: Biological versus physical control over micronutrients in sea ice environments

Hendry, KR, Rickaby, REM, De Hoog, JCM, Weston, K and Rehkamper, M (2009) The cadmium-phosphate relationship in brine: Biological versus physical control over micronutrients in sea ice environments. Antarctic Science, 22 (1). pp. 11-18. ISSN 1365-2079

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Abstract

Despite supporting productive ecosystems in the high latitudes, the relationship between macro- and micronutrients in sea ice environments and their impact on surface productivity is poorly documented. In seawater, the macronutrient phosphate and the micronutrient cadmium follow similar distributions, which are controlled by biological processes in surface waters. We investigated cadmium and phosphate in sea ice brine, and the biological and physical processes controlling their distribution. Cadmium concentrations in sea ice brine ranged from 0.092.4 nmol kg-1, and correlated well with salinity. Our results show that micronutrients in sea ice are most probably sourced from the seawater from which it froze rather than external sources such as atmospheric deposition. The weak correlation between sea ice cadmium and phosphate, and the positive relationship between cadmium and biomass, suggests against biological uptake being a principal control over micronutrient distribution even in a highly productive setting. Instead, brine expulsion and dilution play a dominant role in cadmium distribution in sea ice. Nutrient dilution within brine channels during melting, and contrasting sea ice and open water phytoplankton populations, suggests that late spring sea ice is not a significant source of nutrients or biomass to seawater. We suggest that future changes in sea ice seasonality may impact nutrient distribution and Antarctic marine ecosystems.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sdg 14 - life below water ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	Rosie Cullington
Date Deposited:	23 Feb 2011 09:48
Last Modified:	12 Jan 2023 12:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/24371
DOI:	10.1017/S0954102009990381

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