Nitrate supply routes and impact of internal cycling in the North Atlantic Ocean inferred from nitrate isotopic composition

In this study we report full‐depth water column profiles for nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition (δ15N and δ18O) of nitrate (NO3‐) during the GEOTRACES GA01 cruise (2014). This transect intersects the double gyre system of the subtropical and subpolar regions of the North Atlantic separated by a strong transition zone, the North Atlantic Current. The distribution of NO3‐ δ15N and δ18O shows that assimilation by phytoplankton is the main process controlling the NO3‐ isotopic composition in the upper 150 m, with values increasing in a NO3‐ δ18O versus δ15N space along a line with a slope of one towards the surface. In the subpolar gyre, a single relationship between the degree of NO3‐ consumption and residual NO3‐ δ15N supports the view that NO3‐ is supplied via Ekman upwelling and deep winter convection, and progressively consumed during the Ekman transport of surface water southward. The co‐occurrence of partial NO3‐ assimilation and nitrification in the deep mixed layer of the subpolar gyre elevates subsurface NO3‐ δ18O in comparison to deep oceanic values. This signal propagates through isopycnal exchanges to greater depths at lower latitudes. With recirculation in the subtropical gyre, cycles of quantitative consumption‐nitrification progressively decrease subsurface NO3‐ δ18O toward the δ18O of regenerated NO3‐. The low NO3‐ δ15N observed south of the Subarctic Front is mostly explained by N2 fixation, although a contribution from the Mediterranean outflow is required to explain the lower NO3‐ δ15N signal observed between 600 and 1500 m depth close to the Iberian margin

Introduction to the French GEOTRACES North Atlantic Transect (GA01): GEOVIDE cruise

The GEOVIDE cruise, a collaborative project within the framework of the international GEOTRACES programme, was conducted along the French-led section in the North Atlantic Ocean (Section GA01), between 15 May and 30 June 2014. In this special issue (https://www.biogeosciences.net/special_issue900.html), results from GEOVIDE, including physical oceanography and trace element and isotope cyclings, are presented among 18 articles. Here, the scientific context, project objectives, and scientific strategy of GEOVIDE are provided, along with an overview of the main results from the articles published in the special issue

High production going along with high respiration: impact of biofilm formation for sea-ice biogeochemistry

While representing less than 5% of the total ice cover around Antarctica, landfast sea ice is nevertheless an important habitat known to exhibit high biomass levels at the ocean/ice interface, with particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations easily reaching 2000 μmol C L–1 during spring bloom. Surprisingly, together with the POC increase in bottom ice, fieldwork measurements performed in East Antarctica (Adélie Land 2011, McMurdo Sound 2012, Prydz Bay 2015) of nitrate and phosphate concentrations report a simultaneous increase with concentrations exceeding those of underlying seawater, suggesting an intense remineralization and nitrification processes within the ice. This goes against the classic view of nutrients being consumed during the growth season and regenerated after the height of the bloom. Regardless of the high nitrate levels available in the ice, increasing total nitrogen concentrations also suggest still more nitrogen from the underlying seawater was brought into the ice. Results of a NPZD-model indicates that a second nutrient pool, in addition to the brine pool, is essential to successfully model and reproduce field observations. The presence of a biofilm attached to the ice walls could act as a water-retaining substrate forming microenvironments with chemical gradients within the brine channels. The effect of biofilm on nitrogen dynamics (concentration and isotopic composition) in sea ice will be discussed as well as potential implications for other parameters (phosphate, carbon, oxygen). This calls for the integration of the biofilm concept into the current view of sea-ice biogeochemistry

The effect of melting treatments on the assessment of biomass and nutrients in sea ice (Saroma-ko lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan)

Melting of sea-ice samples is an inevitable step in obtaining reliable and representative measurements for biogeochemical parameters such as inorganic nutrients and particulate matter. The impact of the sea-ice melting procedure has been previously evaluated for biological parameters such as chlorophyll a and cell abundance. For nutrient and biomass concentrations in sea ice, it is generally considered to be best practice to melt samples fast; however, no systematic evaluation exists in literature. The impact of melting temperature and buffer addition to avoid osmotic shock was tested on ice samples in Saroma-ko Lagoon on the northeastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan. The focus was on inorganic nutrient concentrations (NO3−, NO2−, PO4−, NH4+, Si(OH)4) and particulate organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations and their isotope ratios. Coherent small changes have been observed for the parameter related to nitrogen, suggesting marginal cell lysis of a specific part of the microbial community. When differences are statistically significant, they are close to the uncertainty of the measurements and small in regard to the expected natural variation in sea ice. Our study suggest a minimal effect between melting treatments on biomass (POC, PN, and Chl a) and nutrient measurements in diatom-dominated sea ice and should be repeated where the sympagic community is dominated by flagellates

Oxygen & nitrogen isotopic signatures of nitrate in East Antarctic sea-ice and the underlying water column (SIPEX2 results)

info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Nutrient uptake rates and primary production in East Antarctic sea-ice (SIPEX 2 results)

info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Biogeochemistry of Antarctic Landfast Sea Ice and the Potential Role of Biofilm

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe