Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study

An upgraded version of the biogeochemical model SWAMCO is coupled to the ocean-sea-ice model NEMO-LIM 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...

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Published in:Biogeosciences
Main Authors: Lancelot, C., Montety, A., Goosse, H., Becquevort, S., Schoemann, V., Pasquer, B., Vancoppenolle, M.
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-6-2861-2009
https://www.biogeosciences.net/6/2861/2009/
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spelling ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:bg720 2023-05-15T13:45:55+02:00 Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study Lancelot, C. Montety, A. Goosse, H. Becquevort, S. Schoemann, V. Pasquer, B. Vancoppenolle, M. 2018-09-27 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-6-2861-2009 https://www.biogeosciences.net/6/2861/2009/ eng eng doi:10.5194/bg-6-2861-2009 https://www.biogeosciences.net/6/2861/2009/ eISSN: 1726-4189 Text 2018 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-6-2861-2009 2019-12-24T09:57:36Z An upgraded version of the biogeochemical model SWAMCO is coupled to the ocean-sea-ice model NEMO-LIM 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. Text Antarc* Antarctica East Antarctica Sea ice Southern Ocean Weddell Sea Copernicus Publications: E-Journals East Antarctica Southern Ocean Weddell Weddell Sea Biogeosciences 6 12 2861 2878
institution Open Polar
collection Copernicus Publications: E-Journals
op_collection_id ftcopernicus
language English
description An upgraded version of the biogeochemical model SWAMCO is coupled to the ocean-sea-ice model NEMO-LIM 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.
format Text
author Lancelot, C.
Montety, A.
Goosse, H.
Becquevort, S.
Schoemann, V.
Pasquer, B.
Vancoppenolle, M.
spellingShingle Lancelot, C.
Montety, A.
Goosse, H.
Becquevort, S.
Schoemann, V.
Pasquer, B.
Vancoppenolle, M.
Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study
author_facet Lancelot, C.
Montety, A.
Goosse, H.
Becquevort, S.
Schoemann, V.
Pasquer, B.
Vancoppenolle, M.
author_sort Lancelot, C.
title Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study
title_short Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study
title_full Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study
title_fullStr Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study
title_full_unstemmed Spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean: a model study
title_sort spatial distribution of the iron supply to phytoplankton in the southern ocean: a model study
publishDate 2018
url https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-6-2861-2009
https://www.biogeosciences.net/6/2861/2009/
geographic East Antarctica
Southern Ocean
Weddell
Weddell Sea
geographic_facet East Antarctica
Southern Ocean
Weddell
Weddell Sea
genre Antarc*
Antarctica
East Antarctica
Sea ice
Southern Ocean
Weddell Sea
genre_facet Antarc*
Antarctica
East Antarctica
Sea ice
Southern Ocean
Weddell Sea
op_source eISSN: 1726-4189
op_relation doi:10.5194/bg-6-2861-2009
https://www.biogeosciences.net/6/2861/2009/
op_doi https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-6-2861-2009
container_title Biogeosciences
container_volume 6
container_issue 12
container_start_page 2861
op_container_end_page 2878
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