Quantifying the weathered fluxes to the ocean is far from over: the overlooked role of rock coast erosion
This study reveals that cliff derived sediment supply is only three times less than the solid discharge of rivers for Europe.
Science Highlights
Some recent GEOTRACES science findings are reported below.
Contrasting distributions of dissolved manganese, nickel, cadmium and zinc in the Mediterranean Sea
Extensive trace metal clean sampling during the Dutch GEOTRACES cruise in the Mediterranean Sea allowed Middag and his colleagues to establish the basin scale distribution of these trace metals.
Anthropogenic aerosol has become a dominant source of zinc in the deep water of the Northern South China Sea
Liao and colleagues determined zinc concentrations and isotope compositions in sinking particles collected in the Northern South China Sea…
An updated global ocean chromium biogeochemical cycle
Janssen and co-authors present an exhaustive compilation of ocean chromium data…
Mercury stable isotopes constrain atmospheric pathways to the ocean
The study’s results hold promise that the implementation of anti-pollution measures under the Minamata Convention will likely result in a faster decrease of oceanic mercury levels than previously thought.
New impetus to the debate on the sources of dissolved aluminium to the ocean
This study challenges the paradigm that dissolved aluminium in the bottom waters of the Arctic basins could result from a top-down process.
Icebergs as sources of trace metals to the ocean: which impact?
Earth’s Ice Sheets are known to release significant quantities of lithogenic particles into the ocean every year, but how does this material affect trace metal availability in the ocean?
Microbial trace metal trafficking on marine particles
This study provides evidence for the processing of nine particulate trace metals in multiple manners by diverse microbial communities.
Volcanic emissions in the Southern Ocean: an efficient and unexpected source of iron for this remote area
This study suggests that volcanic emission can represent a significant source of bioavailable iron to open ocean anaemic ecosystems.