Upwelled hydrothermal iron stimulates massive phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean

Joint Science Highlight with US-Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry (US-OCB).

In a recent study, Ardyna et al (2019, see reference below) combined observations of profiling floats with historical trace element data and satellite altimetry and ocean color data from the Southern Ocean to reveal that dissolved iron (Fe) of hydrothermal origin can be upwelled to the surface. Furthermore, the activity of deep hydrothermal sources can influence upper ocean biogeochemical cycles of the Southern Ocean, and in particular stimulate the biological carbon pump.

Figure: Southern Ocean phytoplankton blooms showing distribution, biomass (circle size) and type (color key). Adapted from Ardyna, et al., 2019. Click on the figure to view it larger.

Reference:

Ardyna, M., Lacour, L., Sergi, S., d’Ovidio, F., Sallée, J.-B., Rembauville, M., Blain, S., Tagliabue, A., Schlitzer, R., Jeandel, C., Arrigo, K.R., Claustre, H. (2019). Hydrothermal vents trigger massive phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean. Nature Communications, 10(1), 2451. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09973-6

Latest highlights

Rare Earth and neodymium isotope cycles in the abyssal Pacific Ocean are shaking up the paradigm established for particle reactive tracers

Du and colleagues demonstrate the importance of the abyssal sediment source in the control of the trace element and isotopes marine distribution.

Anthropogenic iron impact on the surface productivity in the Pacific Transition Zone

Hawco and colleagues investigated the influence of industrial emissions on oceanic iron supply and its ecological consequences in the North Pacific.

Trace metal effluxes from Peruvian shelf sediments

Liu and co-authors compared four methods to estimate dissolved iron fluxes from Peruvian shelf sediments, revealing large variability.

Coupling copper and neodymium data highlights the importance of the margin sources for the copper oceanic cycle

Lemaitre and co-workers analysed the dissolved concentrations and isotopes along the GEOVIDE (GA01) section in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Rechercher