Impact of ocean acidification and ocean warming on the oxidation of dissolved Fe(II) in coastal and open Southern Ocean water ...

• Main Author: Aflenzer, H
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: University Of Tasmania 2023
• Subjects: Southern Ocean; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23246795; https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/Impact_of_ocean_acidification_and_ocean_warming_on_the_oxidation_of_dissolved_Fe_II_in_coastal_and_open_Southern_Ocean_water/23246795

The Southern Ocean is the largest region where major nutrients such as nitrate, silicate and phosphate are present in excess, yet the crucial micronutrient element iron (Fe) is scarce. It is well established that the Southern Ocean is key in exporting carbon to greater depths through biomass production by phytoplankton, but Fe is metabolically required for photosynthesis. Changes in uptake of carbon and heat to the ocean will impact ocean acidification and ocean warming. These anthropogenically linked processes are projected to lead to a drop in ocean pH by 0.2 units and an increase in the ocean‚ÄövÑv¥s temperature by 2¬¨‚àûC by the end of the century and are already known to have tremendous ecological impacts on the ocean‚ÄövÑv¥s flora and fauna. However, little is known about how changes in ocean temperature and pH could alter the nutrient composition in future oceans. Regarding nutrients, this work focuses on the dissolved (d) element Fe. It is essential for photosynthesis, but also a limiting element in ...