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The role of zooplankton in establishing carbon export regimes in the Southern Ocean – a comparison of two representative case studies in the Subantarctic region
Citation
Halfter, S and Cavan, EL and Swadling, KM and Eriksen, RS and Boyd, PW, The role of zooplankton in establishing carbon export regimes in the Southern Ocean - a comparison of two representative case studies in the Subantarctic region, Frontiers in Marine Science, 7, (SEPT) Article 567917. ISSN 2296-7745 (2020) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2020 Halfter, Cavan, Swadling, Eriksen and Boyd. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
DOI: doi:10.3389/fmars.2020.567917
Abstract
Marine ecosystems regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by transporting and
storing photosynthetically fixed carbon in the ocean’s interior. In particular, the
subantarctic and polar frontal zone of the Southern Ocean is a significant region
for physically driven carbon uptake due to mode water formation, although it is
under-studied concerning biologically mediated uptake. Regional differences in iron
concentrations lead to variable carbon export from the base of the euphotic zone.
Contrary to our understanding of export globally, where high productivity results in
high export, naturally iron-fertilized regions exhibit low carbon export relative to their
surface productivity, while HNLC (High Nutrient, Low Chlorophyll) waters emerge as
a significant area for carbon export. Zooplankton, an integral part of the oceanic
food web, play an important role in establishing these main carbon export regimes.
In this mini review, we explore this role further by focusing on the impact of grazing
and the production of fecal pellets on the carbon flux. The data coverage in the
subantarctic region will be assessed by comparing two case studies - the iron-replete
Kerguelen Plateau and the HNLC region south of Australia. We then discuss
challenges in evaluating the contributions of zooplankton to carbon flux, namely
gaps in seasonal coverage of sampling campaigns, the use of non-standardized and
biased methods and under-sampling of the mesopelagic zone, an important area of
carbon remineralization. More integrated approaches are necessary to improve present
estimates of zooplankton-mediated carbon export in the Southern Ocean.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | biological carbon pump, zooplankton, southern ocean, subpolar, carbon cycle |
| Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
| Research Group: | Ecology |
| Research Field: | Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) |
| Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
| Objective Group: | Coastal and estuarine systems and management |
| Objective Field: | Assessment and management of coastal and estuarine ecosystems |
| UTAS Author: | Halfter, S (Ms Svenja Halfter) |
| UTAS Author: | Swadling, KM (Associate Professor Kerrie Swadling) |
| UTAS Author: | Eriksen, RS (Dr Ruth Eriksen) |
| UTAS Author: | Boyd, PW (Professor Philip Boyd) |
| ID Code: | 141293 |
| Year Published: | 2020 |
| Deposited By: | Ecology and Biodiversity |
| Deposited On: | 2020-10-12 |
| Last Modified: | 2021-02-17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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