Distribution and characterization of dissolved and particulate organic matter in Antarctic pack ice

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Dumont, I, Schoemann, V, Lannuzel, D, Chou, L, Tison, JL, Becquevort, S
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer-Verlag 2009
• Subjects: Environmental Sciences; Ecological Applications; Ecosystem Function; Antarctic; Antarc*; Polar Biology
• Online Access: http://www.springerlink.com; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-008-0577-y; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/62630

Distribution and composition of organic matterwere investigated in Antarctic pack ice in early springand summer. Accumulation of organic compounds wasobserved with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulateorganic carbon (POC) reaching 717 and 470 !M C,respectively and transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP)up to 3,071 !g Xanthan gum equivalent l1. POC and TEPseemed to be inXuenced mainly by algae. Particulatesaccharides accounted for 0.224.1% (mean, 7.8%) of POC.Dissolved total saccharides represented 0.429.6% (mean,9.7%) of DOC, while dissolved free amino acids (DFAA)accounted for only 1% of DOC. Concentrations of TEPwere positively correlated with those of saccharides.Monosaccharides (d-MCHO) dominated during winterearlyspring, whereas dissolved polysaccharides did in springsummer. DFAA were strongly correlated with d-MCHO,suggesting a similar pathway of production. The accumulationof monomers in winter is thought to result from limitationof bacterial activities rather than from the nature of thesubstrates.