The impact of a coccolithophore bloom on oceanic carbon uptake in the Northeast Atlantic during summer 1991

Robertson, J. E., Robinson, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3033-4565, Turner, D. R., Holligan, P., Watson, AJ, Boyd, P., Fernandez, E. and Finch, M. (1994) The impact of a coccolithophore bloom on oceanic carbon uptake in the Northeast Atlantic during summer 1991. Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 41 (2). pp. 297-314. ISSN 1879-0100

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Abstract

Measurements of the carbonate system in the surface waters of the northeast Atlantic during summer 1991, following the main growth phase of a bloom of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi are presented. We examine the perturbation of the carbonate system and assess the effect of calcification on the air-sea gradient of dissolved carbon dioxide in the surface ocean. An estimate of 1:1 organic to inorganic carbon uptake is calculated using the measurements of the surface carbonate parameters which is consistent with other estimates for E. huxleyi populations using radio-tracer methods. Using the changing ratio of dissolved carbon dioxide to nitrate concentration we demonstrate a relative increase in dissolved carbon dioxide due to calcification with evidence of this increase supported by estimates of the buffer factor and C:N assimilation ratios. Within the E. huxleyi bloom the effect of calcification on alkalinity appears to have reduced the air-sea gradient by ∼ 15 μatms (corrected to a constant temperature) using measurements from a 440 km section along the 20°W meridian. This reduction could prove to be significant in terms of the overall drawdown of carbon during the spring-summer season in this area.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Biology Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Resources, Sustainability and Governance (former - to 2018) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (former - to 2017) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Climate, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (former - to 2017)
Depositing User:	Rosie Cullington
Date Deposited:	14 Mar 2011 15:58
Last Modified:	27 Mar 2024 17:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/26193
DOI:	10.1016/0967-0637(94)90005-1

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