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Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study
Citation
Lancelot, C and de Montety, A and Goosse, H and Becquevort, S and Schoemann, V and Pasquer, B and Vancoppenolle, M, Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study, Biogeosciences, 6, (12) pp. 2861-2878. ISSN 1726-4170 (2009) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
© Author(s) 2009. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
DOI: doi:10.5194/bg-6-2861-2009
Abstract
An upgraded version of the biogeochemical model
SWAMCO is coupled to the ocean-sea-ice model NEMOLIM
to explore processes governing the spatial distribution
of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean.
The 3-D NEMO-LIM-SWAMCO model is implemented in
the ocean domain south of latitude 30 S and runs are performed
over September 1989-December 2000. Model scenarios
include potential iron sources (atmospheric deposition,
iceberg calving/melting and continental sediments) as
well as iron storage within sea ice, all formulated based on a
literature review. When all these processes are included, the
simulated iron profiles and phytoplankton bloom distributions
show satisfactory agreement with observations. Analyses
of simulations and sensitivity tests point to the key
role played by continental sediments as a primary source for
iron. Iceberg calving and melting contribute by up to 25% of
Chl-a simulated in areas influenced by icebergs while atmospheric
deposition has little effect at high latitudes. Activating
sea ice-ocean iron exchanges redistribute iron geographically.
Stored in the ice during winter formation, iron is then
transported due to ice motion and is released and made available
to phytoplankton during summer melt, in the vicinity of
the marginal ice zones. Transient iron storage and transport
associated with sea ice dynamics stimulate summer phytoplankton
blooming (up to 3 mg Chl-a m-3) in the Weddell
Sea and off East Antarctica but not in the Ross, Bellingshausen
and Amundsen Seas. This contrasted feature results
from the simulated variable content of iron in sea ice and release
of melting ice showing higher ice-ocean iron fluxes in
the continental shelves of the Weddell and Ross Seas than in
the Eastern Weddell Sea and the Bellingshausen-Amundsen Seas. This study confirms that iron sources and transport in
the Southern Ocean likely provide important mechanisms in
the geographical development of phytoplankton blooms and
associated ecosystems.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
---|---|
Research Division: | Environmental Sciences |
Research Group: | Ecological applications |
Research Field: | Ecosystem function |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Coastal and estuarine systems and management |
Objective Field: | Assessment and management of coastal and estuarine ecosystems |
UTAS Author: | Pasquer, B (Dr Benedicte Pasquer) |
ID Code: | 62627 |
Year Published: | 2009 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 95 |
Deposited By: | CRC-Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems |
Deposited On: | 2010-03-13 |
Last Modified: | 2022-07-07 |
Downloads: | 600 View Download Statistics |
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