Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone
The downward flux of particulate organic carbon (POC) decreases significantly in the oceans mesopelagic or "twilight" zone due both to abiotic processes and metabolism by resident biota. Bacteria and zooplankton solubilize and consume POC to support their metabolism, but the relative impor...
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ftunivtasecite:oai:ecite.utas.edu.au:95543 2023-05-15T18:28:33+02:00 Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone Steinberg, DK Van Mooy, BAS Buesseler, KO Boyd, PW Kobari, T Karl, DM 2008 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2008.53.4.1327 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/95543 en eng Amer Soc Limnology Oceanography http://ecite.utas.edu.au/95543/1/1327-1338 Steinberg.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.4319/lo.2008.53.4.1327 Steinberg, DK and Van Mooy, BAS and Buesseler, KO and Boyd, PW and Kobari, T and Karl, DM, Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone, Limnology and Oceanography, 53, (4) pp. 1327-1338. ISSN 0024-3590 (2008) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/95543 Biological Sciences Ecology Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) Refereed Article PeerReviewed 2008 ftunivtasecite https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2008.53.4.1327 2019-12-13T21:57:57Z The downward flux of particulate organic carbon (POC) decreases significantly in the oceans mesopelagic or "twilight" zone due both to abiotic processes and metabolism by resident biota. Bacteria and zooplankton solubilize and consume POC to support their metabolism, but the relative importance of bacteria vs. zooplankton in the consumption of sinking particles in the twilight zone is unknown. We compared losses of sinking POC, using differences in export flux measured by neutrally buoyant sediment traps at a range of depths, with bacteria and zooplankton metabolic requirements at the Hawaii Ocean Time-series station ALOHA in the subtropical Pacific and the Japanese times-series site K2 in the subarctic Pacific. Integrated (150-1,000 m) mesopelagic bacterial C demand exceeded that of zooplankton by up to 3-fold at ALOHA, while bacteria and zooplankton required relatively equal amounts of POC at K2. However, sinking POC flux was inadequate to meet metabolic demands at either site. Mesopelagic bacterial C demand was 3- to 4-fold (ALOHA), and 10-fold (K2) greater than the loss of sinking POC flux, while zooplankton C demand was 1- to 2-fold (ALOHA), and 3- to 9-fold (K2) greater (using our "middle" estimate conversion factors to calculate C demand). Assuming the particle flux estimates are accurate, we posit that this additional C demand must be met by diel vertical migration of zooplankton feeding at the surface and by carnivory at depthwith both processes ultimately supplying organic C to mesopelagic bacteria. These pathways need to be incorporated into biogeochemical models that predict global C sequestration in the deep sea. Article in Journal/Newspaper Subarctic eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) Pacific Limnology and Oceanography 53 4 1327 1338 |
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Open Polar |
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eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtasecite |
language |
English |
topic |
Biological Sciences Ecology Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) |
spellingShingle |
Biological Sciences Ecology Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) Steinberg, DK Van Mooy, BAS Buesseler, KO Boyd, PW Kobari, T Karl, DM Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone |
topic_facet |
Biological Sciences Ecology Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) |
description |
The downward flux of particulate organic carbon (POC) decreases significantly in the oceans mesopelagic or "twilight" zone due both to abiotic processes and metabolism by resident biota. Bacteria and zooplankton solubilize and consume POC to support their metabolism, but the relative importance of bacteria vs. zooplankton in the consumption of sinking particles in the twilight zone is unknown. We compared losses of sinking POC, using differences in export flux measured by neutrally buoyant sediment traps at a range of depths, with bacteria and zooplankton metabolic requirements at the Hawaii Ocean Time-series station ALOHA in the subtropical Pacific and the Japanese times-series site K2 in the subarctic Pacific. Integrated (150-1,000 m) mesopelagic bacterial C demand exceeded that of zooplankton by up to 3-fold at ALOHA, while bacteria and zooplankton required relatively equal amounts of POC at K2. However, sinking POC flux was inadequate to meet metabolic demands at either site. Mesopelagic bacterial C demand was 3- to 4-fold (ALOHA), and 10-fold (K2) greater than the loss of sinking POC flux, while zooplankton C demand was 1- to 2-fold (ALOHA), and 3- to 9-fold (K2) greater (using our "middle" estimate conversion factors to calculate C demand). Assuming the particle flux estimates are accurate, we posit that this additional C demand must be met by diel vertical migration of zooplankton feeding at the surface and by carnivory at depthwith both processes ultimately supplying organic C to mesopelagic bacteria. These pathways need to be incorporated into biogeochemical models that predict global C sequestration in the deep sea. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Steinberg, DK Van Mooy, BAS Buesseler, KO Boyd, PW Kobari, T Karl, DM |
author_facet |
Steinberg, DK Van Mooy, BAS Buesseler, KO Boyd, PW Kobari, T Karl, DM |
author_sort |
Steinberg, DK |
title |
Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone |
title_short |
Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone |
title_full |
Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone |
title_fullStr |
Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone |
title_full_unstemmed |
Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone |
title_sort |
bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone |
publisher |
Amer Soc Limnology Oceanography |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2008.53.4.1327 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/95543 |
geographic |
Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Pacific |
genre |
Subarctic |
genre_facet |
Subarctic |
op_relation |
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/95543/1/1327-1338 Steinberg.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.4319/lo.2008.53.4.1327 Steinberg, DK and Van Mooy, BAS and Buesseler, KO and Boyd, PW and Kobari, T and Karl, DM, Bacterial vs. zooplankton control of sinking particle flux in the ocean's twilight zone, Limnology and Oceanography, 53, (4) pp. 1327-1338. ISSN 0024-3590 (2008) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/95543 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2008.53.4.1327 |
container_title |
Limnology and Oceanography |
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53 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
1327 |
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1338 |
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1766211071357485056 |