Spatiotemporal variability of inorganic nitrogen stocks and uptake fluxes in the scotia-weddell confluence area during november and december 1988

• Main Authors: Goeyens, Leo, Sorensson, F, Treguer, P, Morvan, J, Panouse, M, Dehairs, F
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Inter-research 1991
• Subjects: phytoplankton bloom dynamics; primary nitrite maximum; sea ice edge; southern-ocean; ross sea; primary productivity; nitrification rates; surface waters; austral summer; indian sector; Austral; Indian; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean; Weddell; Weddell Sea; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://lirias.kuleuven.be/handle/123456789/45368

Distributions of nitrate and ammonium and corresponding uptake fluxes were investigated in the Scotia-Weddell Confluence area during EPOS LEG 2 (November and December 1988) on board RV 'Polarstern'. In this area a central low-salinity and low-nitrate compartment extends southward from the Scotia Front over 1 to 1.5-degrees-latitude. High ammonium concentrations and marked nitrate depletions indicate an enhanced biological activity in this part of the ocean. By means of the uptake rates, obtained from N-15 incubations, and of nitrate depletion data it is proved that this marginal ice zone ecosystem shifts from predominantly new production based (highest f-ratio 0.83) to regenerated production based (lowest f-ratio 0.30) after some 3 wk. This transition corresponds with the change from a higher diatom presence to a higher flagellate presence in the phytoplankton community. Moreover, it is in agreement with the described sudden termination of export fluxes in the Weddell Sea. status: published