Spring–summer net community production, new production, particle export and related water column biogeochemical processes in the marginal sea ice zone of the Western Antarctic Peninsula 2012–2014

Ducklow, Hugh W., Stukel, Michael R., Eveleth, Rachel, Doney, Scott C., Jickells, Tim, Schofield, Oscar, Baker, Alex R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8365-8953, Brindle, John, Chance, Rosie and Cassar, Nicolas (2018) Spring–summer net community production, new production, particle export and related water column biogeochemical processes in the marginal sea ice zone of the Western Antarctic Peninsula 2012–2014. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 376 (2122). ISSN 1471-2962

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Abstract

New production (New P, the rate of net primary production (NPP) supported by exogenously supplied limiting nutrients) and net community production (NCP, gross primary production not consumed by community respiration) are closely related but mechanistically distinct processes. They set the carbon balance in the upper ocean and define an upper limit for export from the system. The relationships, relative magnitudes and variability of New P (from 15NO3– uptake), O2 : argon-based NCP and sinking particle export (based on the 238U : 234Th disequilibrium) are increasingly well documented but still not clearly understood. This is especially true in remote regions such as polar marginal ice zones. Here we present a 3-year dataset of simultaneous measurements made at approximately 50 stations along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) continental shelf in midsummer (January) 2012–2014. Net seasonal-scale changes in water column inventories (0–150 m) of nitrate and iodide were also estimated at the same stations. The average daily rates based on inventory changes exceeded the shorter-term rate measurements. A major uncertainty in the relative magnitude of the inventory estimates is specifying the start of the growing season following sea-ice retreat. New P and NCP(O2) did not differ significantly. New P and NCP(O2) were significantly greater than sinking particle export from thorium-234. We suggest this is a persistent and systematic imbalance and that other processes such as vertical mixing and advection of suspended particles are important export pathways.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	antarctica,ocean biogeochemistry,net community production,carbon export,thorium-234 deficiency
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science Faculty of Science > School of Natural Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	17 May 2018 14:32
Last Modified:	01 Feb 2024 02:42
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/67119
DOI:	10.1098/rsta.2017.0177

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