Evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the Sargasso Sea euphotic zone
Pico-plankton and nano-plankton are generally thought to represent a negligible fraction of the total particulate organic carbon (POC) export flux in oligotrophic gyres due to their small size, slow individual sinking rates, and tight grazer control that leads to high rates of recycling in the eupho...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:45c9e7e07c94425eb42d8f926ad6caca 2023-05-15T17:36:15+02:00 Evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the Sargasso Sea euphotic zone M. W. Lomas S. B. Moran 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-203-2011 https://doaj.org/article/45c9e7e07c94425eb42d8f926ad6caca EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.biogeosciences.net/8/203/2011/bg-8-203-2011.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-8-203-2011 1726-4170 1726-4189 https://doaj.org/article/45c9e7e07c94425eb42d8f926ad6caca Biogeosciences, Vol 8, Iss 1, Pp 203-216 (2011) Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2011 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-203-2011 2022-12-31T08:11:17Z Pico-plankton and nano-plankton are generally thought to represent a negligible fraction of the total particulate organic carbon (POC) export flux in oligotrophic gyres due to their small size, slow individual sinking rates, and tight grazer control that leads to high rates of recycling in the euphotic zone. Based upon recent inverse modeling and network analysis however, it has been hypothesized that pico-plankton, including the cyanobacteria Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus , and nano-plankton contribute significantly to POC export, via formation and gravitational settling of aggregates and/or consumption of those aggregates by mesozooplankton, in proportion to their contribution to net primary production. This study presents total suspended particulate (>0.7 μm) and particle size-fractionated (10–20 μm, 20–53 μm, >53 μm) pigment concentrations from within and below the euphotic zone in the oligotrophic subtropical North Atlantic, collected using Niskin bottles and large volume in-situ pumps, respectively. Results show the indicator pigments for Synechococcus , Prochlorococcus and nano-eukaryotes are; (1) found at depths down to 500 m, and; (2) essentially constant, relative to the sum of all indicator pigments, across particle size fractions ranging from 10 μm to >53 μm. Based upon the presence of chlorophyll precursor and degradation pigments, and that in situ pumps do not effectively sample fecal pellets, it is concluded that these pigments were redistributed to deeper waters on larger, more rapidly sinking aggregates likely by gravitational settling and/or convective mixing. Using available pigment and ancillary data from these cruises, these Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus and nano-plankton derived aggregates are estimated to contribute 2–13% (5 ± 4%), 1–20% (5 ± 7%), and 6–43% (23 ± 14%) of the total sediment trap POC flux measured on the same cruises, respectively. Furthermore, nano-eukaryotes contribute equally to POC export and autotrophic biomass, while cyanobacteria contributions to POC ... Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Biogeosciences 8 1 203 216 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 M. W. Lomas S. B. Moran Evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the Sargasso Sea euphotic zone |
topic_facet |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Pico-plankton and nano-plankton are generally thought to represent a negligible fraction of the total particulate organic carbon (POC) export flux in oligotrophic gyres due to their small size, slow individual sinking rates, and tight grazer control that leads to high rates of recycling in the euphotic zone. Based upon recent inverse modeling and network analysis however, it has been hypothesized that pico-plankton, including the cyanobacteria Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus , and nano-plankton contribute significantly to POC export, via formation and gravitational settling of aggregates and/or consumption of those aggregates by mesozooplankton, in proportion to their contribution to net primary production. This study presents total suspended particulate (>0.7 μm) and particle size-fractionated (10–20 μm, 20–53 μm, >53 μm) pigment concentrations from within and below the euphotic zone in the oligotrophic subtropical North Atlantic, collected using Niskin bottles and large volume in-situ pumps, respectively. Results show the indicator pigments for Synechococcus , Prochlorococcus and nano-eukaryotes are; (1) found at depths down to 500 m, and; (2) essentially constant, relative to the sum of all indicator pigments, across particle size fractions ranging from 10 μm to >53 μm. Based upon the presence of chlorophyll precursor and degradation pigments, and that in situ pumps do not effectively sample fecal pellets, it is concluded that these pigments were redistributed to deeper waters on larger, more rapidly sinking aggregates likely by gravitational settling and/or convective mixing. Using available pigment and ancillary data from these cruises, these Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus and nano-plankton derived aggregates are estimated to contribute 2–13% (5 ± 4%), 1–20% (5 ± 7%), and 6–43% (23 ± 14%) of the total sediment trap POC flux measured on the same cruises, respectively. Furthermore, nano-eukaryotes contribute equally to POC export and autotrophic biomass, while cyanobacteria contributions to POC ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
M. W. Lomas S. B. Moran |
author_facet |
M. W. Lomas S. B. Moran |
author_sort |
M. W. Lomas |
title |
Evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the Sargasso Sea euphotic zone |
title_short |
Evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the Sargasso Sea euphotic zone |
title_full |
Evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the Sargasso Sea euphotic zone |
title_fullStr |
Evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the Sargasso Sea euphotic zone |
title_full_unstemmed |
Evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the Sargasso Sea euphotic zone |
title_sort |
evidence for aggregation and export of cyanobacteria and nano-eukaryotes from the sargasso sea euphotic zone |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-203-2011 https://doaj.org/article/45c9e7e07c94425eb42d8f926ad6caca |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
Biogeosciences, Vol 8, Iss 1, Pp 203-216 (2011) |
op_relation |
http://www.biogeosciences.net/8/203/2011/bg-8-203-2011.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-8-203-2011 1726-4170 1726-4189 https://doaj.org/article/45c9e7e07c94425eb42d8f926ad6caca |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-203-2011 |
container_title |
Biogeosciences |
container_volume |
8 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
203 |
op_container_end_page |
216 |
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1766135675648737280 |