CO(2) sensitivity of Southern Ocean phytoplankton

The Southern Ocean exerts a strong impact on marine biogeochemical cycles and global air-sea CO(2) fluxes. Over the coming century, large increases in surface ocean CO(2) levels, combined with increased upper water column temperatures and stratification, are expected to diminish Southern Ocean CO(2)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Tortell, PD, Payne, CD, Li, YY, Trimborn, S, Rost, B, Smith, Walker O., Jr.
Format: Text
Language:unknown
Published: W&M ScholarWorks 2008
Subjects:
Antarctic Circumpolar Current
Dissolved Organic-Carbon
Marine-Phytoplankton
Biological Response
Iron Fertilization
Ross Sea
Dioxide
170-Degrees-W
Productivity
Plankton
Biological Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles
Aquaculture and Fisheries
Antarctic
Southern Ocean
Antarc*
Antarctica
Online Access:https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/992
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/1992/viewcontent/2007GL032583.pdf
Description
Summary:The Southern Ocean exerts a strong impact on marine biogeochemical cycles and global air-sea CO(2) fluxes. Over the coming century, large increases in surface ocean CO(2) levels, combined with increased upper water column temperatures and stratification, are expected to diminish Southern Ocean CO(2) uptake. These effects could be significantly modulated by concomitant CO(2)-dependent changes in the region's biological carbon pump. Here we show that CO(2) concentrations affect the physiology, growth and species composition of phytoplankton assemblages in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Field results from in situ sampling and ship-board incubation experiments demonstrate that inorganic carbon uptake, steady-state productivity and diatom species composition are sensitive to CO(2) concentrations ranging from 100 to 800 ppm. Elevated CO(2) led to a measurable increase in phytoplankton productivity, promoting the growth of larger chain-forming diatoms. Our results suggest that CO(2) concentrations can influence biological carbon cycling in the Southern Ocean, thereby creating potential climate feedbacks.

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