Variations of carbon remineralisation in the Southern Ocean illustrated by the Ba_xs proxy

We present water column profiles of excess particulate Ba (Baxs, an estimate of biogenic Ba from total particulate Ba after small corrections for lithogenic Ba) along a transect in the Australian sector of the Southern Ocean from the Subantarctic Zone (SAZ) to the Sea Ice Zone during spring (October-December 2001). Surface water Baxs contents appear related to phytoplankton derived particles. Below, in the twilight zone, mesopelagic Baxs records the changes in plankton biomass from the mixed layer over a time scale of a few weeks and confirms its usefulness as an indicator of the carbon remineralisation process. In comparison to the SAZ, the mesopelagic Baxs accumulation is larger and begins at shallower depths south of the Polar Front Zone (PFZ), in the Antarctic Zone (AZ), where diatoms are the dominant component of the phytoplankton community. Summer results from 1998, when mesopelagic Baxs accumulations were larger, also show this latitudinal trend. In contrast, as observed also for deep particulate organic carbon fluxes, the flux of Baxs to moored deep sea sediment traps was larger in the nano-phytoplankton dominated SAZ than the diatom dominated PFZ. Overall, the results suggest relatively high particulate carbon export to the deep sea in the absence of strong remineralisation in the SAZ, and relatively low export to the deep sea in the presence of strong remineralisation further south. Mesopelagic carbon remineralisation is higher in summer than in spring as also observed on deep sediment traps carbon fluxes. Our findings are supported by 234Th and N-uptake proxies from the same transect. This study expands the utility of Ba as an indicator of biogeochemical processes in the twilight zone and supports its usability as a paleoceanographic proxy for deep C export

Nitrogen uptake regime and phytoplankton community structure in the Atlantic and Indian sectors of the Southern Ocean

Phytoplankton nitrogen uptake is studied in relation to the biomass and structure of phytoplankton community in the Atlantic and Indian sectors of the Southern Ocean. Two scenarios of seasonal evolution of uptake regime and phytoplankton community structure are described. The first scenario includes the Marginal Ice Zone areas of the Weddell Sea and adjacent areas where a predominantly nitrate based, diatom dominated assemblage, thriving in a stable water column at the beginning of the season was transformed into a mainly ammonium based, flagellate dominated assemblage, towards the end of the season. The change in phytoplankton community structure was caused by selective grazing by large grazers and reduced stability of the water column and the shift in uptake regime was due to increased ammonium availability and changes in community structure. In the second scenario, in the Coastal and Continental Shelf Zone (CCSZ) and Open Oceanic Zone (OOZ) of the Indian sector, a shift in uptake regime occurred without a big change in phytoplankton community structure. These areas were sampled late in the growth season and were characterized by prolonged water column stability, less grazing pressure on large diatoms and high ammonium availability. Diatoms dominated the assemblage and about 80% phytoplankton biomass was on the > 10 μm size fraction. Unlike the first scenario, diatoms were largely based on ammonium. Thus, in areas of persistent water column stability and less selective grazing pressure, a shift in uptake regime can occur without change in community structure. The dominance of diatoms under regenerated production provides a physiological evidence for the excess net removal of silicate over nitrate occurring in certain provinces of the Southern Ocean.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe