Processes Driving Iron and Manganese Dispersal From the TAG Hydrothermal Plume (Mid-Atlantic Ridge): Results From a GEOTRACES Process Study

Hydrothermal vents are a recognized source of trace elements to the ocean inventory. Nevertheless, the contribution of slow-spreading ridges remains poorly resolved. To address this, high-resolution dissolved (<0.45 μm) iron (dFe) and manganese (dMn) samples were collected during the GEOTRACES HERMINE GApr07 process study at the Mid Atlantic Ridge. Samples were collected at nine stations, from the TAG vent site to 75 km south-southwest following the neutrally buoyant plume. Concentrations of dMn and dFe ranged from 71 ± 6 and 51 ± 2 nmol kg–1 right above the vent site to 0.43 ± 0.01 and 1.56 ± 0.02 nmol kg–1 at the most distal station, respectively. Using a 5-box model coupled with our data, we show that as the plume traveled away from the vent, aggregation processes controlled dFe concentrations in the first 2 km, with an aggregation rate averaging between 8.0 ± 0.6 and 0.11 ± 0.04 nmol L–1 d–1, respectively in the first and second kilometer. Aggregation, likely of small colloidal particles, led to partitioning of the size fractionated Fe pool, as 6% of the dFe was moved into the particulate size fraction. Further away, disaggregation processes became more prevalent, with rates ranging from 0.27 ± 0.02 to 0.008 ± 0.001 nmol L–1 d–1, enriching the dFe pool by 10%. The computed decrease of hydrothermal Fe within the neutrally buoyant plume was likely caused by flocculation of small Fe oxyhydroxide particles. This process resulted in Fe aggregate formation with radii estimated to range between 14 and 20 μm in the first km from TAG. Between 2 and 30 km from the vent site, the radii ranged between 2 and 4 μm

Devenir et impact des apports fluviaux sur les marges continentales : importance biogéochimique et environnementale du recyclage dans les sédiments du prodelta du Rhône

The main purpose of this work was to study the biogeochemical fate of the Rhône River particulate organic matter, and investigate the mechanisms involved in the carbon cycle of its delta. In situ microsensors measurements allowed us to perform high resolution oxygen profiles in the sediment and estimate thus the sediment recycling. It appears that the seasonal variability of the Rhône River inputs, both in quality and in quantity, impacts the benthic mineralization activity in the Rhône River delta. Nevertheless, the influence of these pulsed inputs is limited in time: deltaic sediments are a stable centre of organic carbon degradation. More than just a major mineralization area, isotopic analyses (14C and δ13C) showed that the prodelta also acts as a massive burial centre for organic particulate matter of the Rhône River. Using a stationary diagenetic numerical model, we were able to quantify these burial and degradation terms, and highlighted the importance of anoxic mineralization processes. Moreover, an important pool of suspended matter particles feeding the prodelta and originating from the adjacent continental shelf was identified: terrigeneous and marine particles, already degraded and that have encountered many deposition/resuspension cycles, dilute the riverine particles and decrease thus the lability of the material reaching the sea floor. Finally, respiration measurements in the water column underlined the impact of hydrological variations of the Rhône River that change distinctly the carbon export terms from the delta towards the continental margin.L'objectif principal de ce travail était d'étudier le devenir biogéochimique du matériel organique particulaire du Rhône, et les mécanismes impliqués dans le cycle du carbone au niveau de son delta. L'utilisation de microélectrodes in situ a permis l'obtention de profils haute résolution d'oxygène dans les sédiments et l'estimation du recyclage sédimentaire. Il apparait que la variabilité saisonnière des apports rhodaniens tant qualitative que quantitative influence l'activité de minéralisation benthique dans le delta du Rhône. Cependant, l'impact de ces apports pulsés est limité dans le temps, les sédiments deltaïques constituant un centre actif de dégradation du carbone organique pérenne. Des mesures isotopiques (Δ14C et δ13C) ont confirmé que le prodelta en plus d'une zone prépondérante de minéralisation est le siège d'un enfouissement massif du matériel organique particulaire du Rhône. L'utilisation d'un modèle numérique stationnaire diagénétique a permis de quantifier les termes d'enfouissement et de dégradation, et souligné l'importance de la minéralisation anoxique. Un pool important de matières en suspension du plateau continental en constante recirculation alimentant le prodelta a été identifié: des particules terrigènes et marines déjà dégradées, ayant subi plusieurs cycles de déposition/resuspension, diluent les particules rhodaniennes, diminuant ainsi la labilité du matériel atteignant le sédiment. Enfin, des mesures de respiration dans la colonne d'eau ont souligné l'effet des variations du régime hydrologique du Rhône qui modifient distinctement les termes d'export de carbone du delta vers la marge continentale

Devenir et impact des apports fluviaux sur les marges continentales (importance biogéochimique et environnementale du recyclage dans les sédiments du prodelta du Rhône)

L objectif principal de ce travail était d étudier le devenir biogéochimique du matériel organique particulaire du Rhône, et les mécanismes impliqués dans le cycle du carbone au niveau de son delta. L utilisation de microélectrodes in situ a permis l obtention de profils haute résolution d oxygène dans les sédiments et l estimation du recyclage sédimentaire. Il apparait que la variabilité saisonnière des apports rhodaniens tant qualitative que quantitative influence l activité de minéralisation benthique dans le delta du Rhône. Cependant, l impact de ces apports pulsés est limité dans le temps, les sédiments deltaïques constituant un centre actif de dégradation du carbone organique pérenne. Des mesures isotopiques ( 14C et 13C) ont confirmé que le prodelta en plus d une zone prépondérante de minéralisation est le siège d un enfouissement massif du matériel organique particulaire du Rhône. L utilisation d un modèle numérique stationnaire diagénétique a permis de quantifier les termes d enfouissement et de dégradation, et souligné l importance de la minéralisation anoxique. Un pool important de matières en suspension du plateau continental en constante recirculation alimentant le prodelta a été identifié: des particules terrigènes et marines déjà dégradées, ayant subi plusieurs cycles de déposition/resuspension, diluent les particules rhodaniennes, diminuant ainsi la labilité du matériel atteignant le sédiment. Enfin, des mesures de respiration dans la colonne d eau ont souligné l effet des variations du régime hydrologique du Rhône qui modifient distinctement les termes d export de carbone du delta vers la marge continentale.The main purpose of this work was to study the biogeochemical fate of the Rhône River particulate organic matter, and investigate the mechanisms involved in the carbon cycle of its delta. In situ microsensors measurements allowed us to perform high resolution oxygen profiles in the sediment and estimate thus the sediment recycling. It appears that the seasonal variability of the Rhône River inputs, both in quality and in quantity, impacts the benthic mineralization activity in the Rhône River delta. Nevertheless, the influence of these pulsed inputs is limited in time: deltaic sediments are a stable centre of organic carbon degradation. More than just a major mineralization area, isotopic analyses (14C and 13C) showed that the prodelta also acts as a massive burial centre for organic particulate matter of the Rhône River. Using a stationary diagenetic numerical model, we were able to quantify these burial and degradation terms, and highlighted the importance of anoxic mineralization processes. Moreover, an important pool of suspended matter particles feeding the prodelta and originating from the adjacent continental shelf was identified: terrigeneous and marine particles, already degraded and that have encountered many deposition/resuspension cycles, dilute the riverine particles and decrease thus the lability of the material reaching the sea floor. Finally, respiration measurements in the water column underlined the impact of hydrological variations of the Rhône River that change distinctly the carbon export terms from the delta towards the continental margin.PARIS-BIUSJ-Sci.Terre recherche (751052114) / SudocSudocFranceF

Benthic Oxygen Uptake in the Arctic Ocean Margins - A Case Study at the Deep-Sea Observatory HAUSGARTEN (Fram Strait)

International audienceThe past decades have seen remarkable changes in the Arctic, a hotspot for climate change. Nevertheless, impacts of such changes on the biogeochemical cycles and Arctic marine ecosystems are still largely unknown. During cruises to the deep-sea observatory HAUSGARTEN in July 2007 and 2008, we investigated the biogeochemical recycling of organic matter in Arctic margin sediments by performing shipboard measurements of oxygen profiles, bacterial activities and biogenic sediment compounds (pigment, protein, organic carbon, and phospholipid contents). Additional in situ oxygen profiles were performed at two sites. This study aims at characterizing benthic mineralization activity along local bathymetric and latitudinal transects. The spatial coverage of this study is unique since it focuses on the transition from shelf to Deep Ocean, and from close to the ice edge to more open waters. Biogeochemical recycling across the continental margin showed a classical bathymetric pattern with overall low fluxes except for the deepest station located in the Molloy Hole (5500 m), a seafloor depression acting as an organic matter depot center. A gradient in benthic mineralization rates arises along the latitudinal transect with clearly higher values at the southern stations (average diffusive oxygen uptake of 0.49 ± 0.18 mmol O2 m-2 d-1) compared to the northern sites (0.22 ± 0.09 mmol O2 m-2 d-1). The benthic mineralization activity at the HAUSGARTEN observatory thus increases southward and appears to reflect the amount of organic matter reaching the seafloor rather than its lability. Although organic matter content and potential bacterial activity clearly follow this gradient, sediment pigments and phospholipids exhibit no increase with latitude whereas satellite images of surface ocean chlorophyll a indicate local seasonal patterns of primary production. Our results suggest that predicted increases in primary production in the Arctic Ocean could induce a larger export of more refractory organic matter due to the longer production season and the extension of the ice-free zone

Depositional Processes of Organic Matter in the Rhône River Delta (Gulf of Lions, France) Traced by Density Fractionation Coupled with Δ 14 C and δ 13 C

International audienceAs a main source of freshwater and particles, the Rhône River plays a major role in the biogeochemical cycle of organic carbon (OC) in the Mediterranean Sea. To better understand the origin of organic matter and the processes leading to its export to the coastal sea near the Rhône River, we measured radiocarbon (Δ14C) and stable carbon isotopes (δ13C) in the sediments of the delta, after density fractionation. In April 2007, 3 sites located along an offshore transect (A, C, and E) were sampled for surface sediments, and bulk sediment was separated into 4 fractions of different densities (2.5 g cm−3). In order to better understand the evolution of the OC along the transect, we investigated the OC sources and their evolution for each density fraction. Bulk OC shows a large increase in δ13C from −27.2′ nearshore to −24.5′ at offshore stations while Δ14C decreased from 59′ to −320′. The distribution of δ13C with density displayed a convex pattern at all stations. Except for fraction >2.5 g cm−3, δ13C increases by 2.5′ between stations A and E, indicating a loss of terrestrial signature. The distribution of Δ14C versus density had a concave pattern at all stations: at a single station, it showed a large heterogeneity with a difference of 500–600′ between the 2.5 g cm−3 had less variability, with an average δ13C of −24.6 ± 0.4′ and Δ14C of −370 ± 115′. Several processes may explain this distribution: retention in the prodelta of large particles; mineralization of all fractions during the transport and deposition in the delta and shelf sediments; and dilution of terrestrial particles in continental shelf pool

Benthic alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon fluxes in the Rhône River prodelta generated by decoupled aerobic and anaerobic processes

International audienceEstuarine regions are generally considered a major source of atmospheric CO 2 , as a result of the high organic carbon (OC) mineralization rates in their water column and sediments. Despite this, the intensity of anaerobic respiration processes in the sediments tempered by the reoxidation of reduced metabolites near the sediment-water interface controls the flux of benthic alkalinity. This alkalinity may partially buffer metabolic CO 2 generated by benthic OC respiration in sediments. Thus, sediments with high anaerobic respiration rates could contribute less to local acidification than previously thought. In this study, a benthic chamber was deployed in the Rhône River prodelta and the adjacent continental shelf (Gulf of Lion, northwestern Mediterranean) in late summer to assess the fluxes of total alkalinity (TA) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from the sediment. Concurrently, in situ O 2 and pH micro-profiles, voltammetric profiles and pore water composition were measured in surface sediments to identify the main biogeochemical processes controlling the net production of alkalinity in these sediments. Benthic TA and DIC fluxes to the water column, ranging between 14 and 74 and 18 and 78 mmol m −2 d −1 , respectively, were up to 8 times higher than dissolved oxygen uptake (DOU) rates (10.4±0.9 mmol m −2 d −1) close to the river mouth, but their intensity decreased offshore, as a result of the decline in OC inputs. In the zone close to the river mouth, pore water redox species indicated that TA and DIC were mainly produced by microbial sulfate and iron reduction. Despite the complete removal of sulfate from pore waters, dissolved sulfide concentrations were low and significant concentrations of FeS were found, indicating the precipitation and burial of iron sulfide minerals with an estimated burial flux of 12.5 mmol m −2 d −1 near the river mouth. By preventing reduced iron and sulfide reoxidation, the precipitation and burial of iron sulfide increases the alkalinity release from the sediments during the spring and summer months. Under these conditions, the sediment provides a net source of alkalinity to the bottom waters which mitigates the effect of the benthic DIC flux on the car-bonate chemistry of coastal waters and weakens the partial pressure of CO 2 increase in the bottom waters that would occur if only DIC was produced

Spatial and Temporal Variability of Benthic Respiration in a Scottish Sea Loch Impacted by Fish Farming: A Combination of In Situ Techniques

International audienc

Modeling biogeochemical processes in sediments from the Rhône River prodelta area (NW Mediterranean Sea)

International audienceIn situ oxygen microprofiles, sediment organic carbon content, and pore-water concentrations of nitrate, ammonium, iron, manganese, and sulfides obtained in sediments from the Rhône River prodelta and its adjacent continental shelf were used to constrain a numerical diagenetic model. Results showed that (1) the organic matter from the Rhône River is composed of a fraction of fresh material associated to high first-order degradation rate constants (11-33 yr−1); (2) the burial efficiency (burial/input ratio) in the Rhône prodelta (within 3 km of the river outlet) can be up to 80 %, and decreases to ~20 % on the adjacent continental shelf 10-15 km further offshore; (3) there is a large contribution of anoxic processes to total mineralization in sediments near the river mouth, certainly due to large inputs of fresh organic material combined with high sedimentation rates; (4) diagenetic by-products originally produced during anoxic organic matter mineralization are almost entirely precipitated (>97 %) and buried in the sediment, which leads to (5) a low contribution of the re-oxidation of reduced products to total oxygen consumption. Consequently, total carbon mineralization rates as based on oxygen consumption rates and using Redfield stoichiometry can be largely underestimated in such River-dominated Ocean Margins (RiOMar) environments