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Distributions of dissolved and particulate iron in the sub-Antarctic and Polar Frontal Southern Ocean (Australian sector)
Citation
Lannuzel, D and Bowie, AR and Remenyi, TA and Lam, P and Townsend, AT and Ibisanmi, E and Butler, E and Wagener, T and Schoemann, V, Distributions of dissolved and particulate iron in the sub-Antarctic and Polar Frontal Southern Ocean (Australian sector), Deep-Sea Research. Part 2: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 58, (21-22) pp. 2094-2112. ISSN 0967-0645 (2011) [Refereed Article]
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DOI: doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2011.05.027
Abstract
This paper presents iron (Fe) profiles in the upper 1000 m from nine short-term (transect) stations and
three long-term (process) stations occupied in the Australian sector of the Southern Ocean during the
SAZ-Sense expedition in austral summer (January–February) 2007. Strong vertical and horizontal
gradients in Fe concentrations were observed between the 18 sampled profiles (i.e. 0.09–0.63 nmol/l
dissolved Fe (dFe)). Average dFe concentrations in surface gggwaters in the northern Sub-Antarctic
Zone (SAZ-N) West (station P1) were 0.2770.04 nmol/l. This is lower in the SAZ-N East region (station
P3 and around) where average dFe values in the mixed layer were 0.4870.10 nmol/l. The Polar Front
(PF) station (P2) exhibited the lowest average surface Fe values (i.e., 0.2270.02 nmol/l). Iron
concentrations in deep waters down to 1000 m were more uniform (0.25–0.37 nmol/l dFe), which is
in accordance with values reported elsewhere in remote waters of the Southern Ocean, but lower than
those observed in the North Atlantic and North Pacific basins. A strong decoupling was observed
between dFe and nutrient cycles at all stations. Particulate Fe levels were generally very low for all SAZ
stations (o0.08–1.38 nmol/l), with higher values observed at stations collected near Tasmania and in
the SAZ-N East region. The intrusion of subtropical waters, enriched with Fe from sediments or dust
further north, is thought to mediate Fe input to the SAZ-N and STZ areas, while input from below would
be the main source of Fe in the PF region. We applied the tracer Fen (Fen¼ [dFe]"RFe:P#[PO4 3 "], where
RFe:P is the algal uptake ratio) to estimate the degree to which the water masses were Fe limited. In this
study, Fen tended to be negative and decreased with increasing depths and latitude. Positive Fen values,
indicating Fe sufficiency, were observed in the (near-)surface waters collected in the SAZ-N East and
near continental sources, where primary production was higher and ultimately limited by the lack of
macro-nutrients, not Fe. Micro-organisms residing in the SAZ-N West and PF on the other hand
experienced negative Fen, indicating a strong co-limitation by low silicic acid concentration and Fe
supply (and light in the case of PF).
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | iron; Southern Ocean; |
| Research Division: | Earth Sciences |
| Research Group: | Oceanography |
| Research Field: | Chemical oceanography |
| Objective Division: | Environmental Policy, Climate Change and Natural Hazards |
| Objective Group: | Understanding climate change |
| Objective Field: | Effects of climate change on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments (excl. social impacts) |
| UTAS Author: | Lannuzel, D (Associate Professor Delphine Lannuzel) |
| UTAS Author: | Bowie, AR (Professor Andrew Bowie) |
| UTAS Author: | Remenyi, TA (Dr Tom Remenyi) |
| UTAS Author: | Townsend, AT (Associate Professor Ashley Townsend) |
| ID Code: | 75524 |
| Year Published: | 2011 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 53 |
| Deposited By: | IMAS Research and Education Centre |
| Deposited On: | 2012-02-02 |
| Last Modified: | 2012-04-12 |
| Downloads: | 1 View Download Statistics |
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