Sensitivity of atmospheric CO2 to regional variability in particulate organic matter remineralization depths
The concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere is sensitive to changes in the depth at which sinking particulate organic matter is remineralized: often described as a change in the exponent “ b ” of the Martin curve. Sediment trap observations from deep and intermediate depths suggest there is a spatia...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2923-2019 https://www.biogeosciences.net/16/2923/2019/ |
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:bg73461 2023-05-15T17:36:34+02:00 Sensitivity of atmospheric CO2 to regional variability in particulate organic matter remineralization depths Wilson, Jamie D. Barker, Stephen Edwards, Neil R. Holden, Philip B. Ridgwell, Andy 2019-07-31 info:eu-repo/semantics/application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2923-2019 https://www.biogeosciences.net/16/2923/2019/ eng eng info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/617313 doi:10.5194/bg-16-2923-2019 https://www.biogeosciences.net/16/2923/2019/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess eISSN: 1726-4189 info:eu-repo/semantics/Text 2019 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2923-2019 2019-12-24T09:48:45Z The concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere is sensitive to changes in the depth at which sinking particulate organic matter is remineralized: often described as a change in the exponent “ b ” of the Martin curve. Sediment trap observations from deep and intermediate depths suggest there is a spatially heterogeneous pattern of b , particularly varying with latitude, but disagree over the exact spatial patterns. Here we use a biogeochemical model of the phosphorus cycle coupled with a steady-state representation of ocean circulation to explore the sensitivity of preformed phosphate and atmospheric CO 2 to spatial variability in remineralization depths. A Latin hypercube sampling method is used to simultaneously vary the Martin curve independently within 15 different regions, as a basis for a regression-based analysis used to derive a quantitative measure of sensitivity. Approximately 30 % of the sensitivity of atmospheric CO 2 to changes in remineralization depths is driven by changes in the subantarctic region (36 to 60 ∘ S) similar in magnitude to the Pacific basin despite the much smaller area and lower export production. Overall, the absolute magnitude of sensitivity is controlled by export production, but the relative spatial patterns in sensitivity are predominantly constrained by ocean circulation pathways. The high sensitivity in the subantarctic regions is driven by a combination of high export production and the high connectivity of these regions to regions important for the export of preformed nutrients such as the Southern Ocean and North Atlantic. Overall, regionally varying remineralization depths contribute to variability in CO 2 of between around 5 and 15 ppm, relative to a global mean change in remineralization depth. Future changes in the environmental and ecological drivers of remineralization, such as temperature and ocean acidification, are expected to be most significant in the high latitudes where CO 2 sensitivity to remineralization is also highest. The importance of ocean circulation pathways to the high sensitivity in subantarctic regions also has significance for past climates given the importance of circulation changes in the Southern Ocean. Other/Unknown Material North Atlantic Ocean acidification Southern Ocean Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Pacific Southern Ocean Biogeosciences 16 14 2923 2936 |
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Open Polar |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
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ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
The concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere is sensitive to changes in the depth at which sinking particulate organic matter is remineralized: often described as a change in the exponent “ b ” of the Martin curve. Sediment trap observations from deep and intermediate depths suggest there is a spatially heterogeneous pattern of b , particularly varying with latitude, but disagree over the exact spatial patterns. Here we use a biogeochemical model of the phosphorus cycle coupled with a steady-state representation of ocean circulation to explore the sensitivity of preformed phosphate and atmospheric CO 2 to spatial variability in remineralization depths. A Latin hypercube sampling method is used to simultaneously vary the Martin curve independently within 15 different regions, as a basis for a regression-based analysis used to derive a quantitative measure of sensitivity. Approximately 30 % of the sensitivity of atmospheric CO 2 to changes in remineralization depths is driven by changes in the subantarctic region (36 to 60 ∘ S) similar in magnitude to the Pacific basin despite the much smaller area and lower export production. Overall, the absolute magnitude of sensitivity is controlled by export production, but the relative spatial patterns in sensitivity are predominantly constrained by ocean circulation pathways. The high sensitivity in the subantarctic regions is driven by a combination of high export production and the high connectivity of these regions to regions important for the export of preformed nutrients such as the Southern Ocean and North Atlantic. Overall, regionally varying remineralization depths contribute to variability in CO 2 of between around 5 and 15 ppm, relative to a global mean change in remineralization depth. Future changes in the environmental and ecological drivers of remineralization, such as temperature and ocean acidification, are expected to be most significant in the high latitudes where CO 2 sensitivity to remineralization is also highest. The importance of ocean circulation pathways to the high sensitivity in subantarctic regions also has significance for past climates given the importance of circulation changes in the Southern Ocean. |
format |
Other/Unknown Material |
author |
Wilson, Jamie D. Barker, Stephen Edwards, Neil R. Holden, Philip B. Ridgwell, Andy |
spellingShingle |
Wilson, Jamie D. Barker, Stephen Edwards, Neil R. Holden, Philip B. Ridgwell, Andy Sensitivity of atmospheric CO2 to regional variability in particulate organic matter remineralization depths |
author_facet |
Wilson, Jamie D. Barker, Stephen Edwards, Neil R. Holden, Philip B. Ridgwell, Andy |
author_sort |
Wilson, Jamie D. |
title |
Sensitivity of atmospheric CO2 to regional variability in particulate organic matter remineralization depths |
title_short |
Sensitivity of atmospheric CO2 to regional variability in particulate organic matter remineralization depths |
title_full |
Sensitivity of atmospheric CO2 to regional variability in particulate organic matter remineralization depths |
title_fullStr |
Sensitivity of atmospheric CO2 to regional variability in particulate organic matter remineralization depths |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sensitivity of atmospheric CO2 to regional variability in particulate organic matter remineralization depths |
title_sort |
sensitivity of atmospheric co2 to regional variability in particulate organic matter remineralization depths |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2923-2019 https://www.biogeosciences.net/16/2923/2019/ |
geographic |
Pacific Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Pacific Southern Ocean |
genre |
North Atlantic Ocean acidification Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic Ocean acidification Southern Ocean |
op_source |
eISSN: 1726-4189 |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/617313 doi:10.5194/bg-16-2923-2019 https://www.biogeosciences.net/16/2923/2019/ |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2923-2019 |
container_title |
Biogeosciences |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
14 |
container_start_page |
2923 |
op_container_end_page |
2936 |
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1766136100125933568 |