Decomposition characteristics of particulate organic matter in hiroshima bay

The decomposition characteristics of particulate organic matter (POM) sampled with plankton nets in Hiroshima Bay were investigated under aerobic conditions in a laboratory experiment.The POM derived from plankton consisted of both a labile fraction (70–80 % of the whole) and a refractory fraction (20–30%). The labile fraction was completely decomposed within 40 days at 20°C. Although the concentrations of particulate organic carbon (POC) decreased gradually with time, an apparent lag phase was recognized in the decomposition of particulate phosphorus (PP) at an early stage, which might result from a specific uptake of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) by bacteria. A comparison of the metabolic activity between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and POM by measuring ATP contents showed that the former was one order of magnitude larger than the latter.On the other hand, there was no significant difference among the decomposition rates of POM collected at various depths. The change of the first-order rate constant (k) for the POM decomposition by temperature was expressed ask=0.0329 exp(0.0644T), and the Q₁₀ value was 1.94. There were fairly large variances ink values obtained from the various plankton species. Thek values averaged 0.144 day^–1 and ranged from 0.078 to 0.20 day^–1 at 20°C.     

Deep sea circulation of particulate organic carbon in the Japan Sea

Seasonal and spatial variations of particulate organic carbon (POC) flux were observed with sediment traps at three sites in the Japan Sea (western and eastern Japan Basin and Yamato Basin). In order to investigate the transport processes of POC, radiocarbon (¹⁴C) measurements were also carried out. Annual mean POC flux at 1 km depth was 30.7 mg m⁻²day⁻¹ in the western Japan Basin, 12.0 mg m⁻²day⁻¹ in the eastern Japan Basin and 23.8 mg m⁻²day⁻¹ in the Yamato Basin. At all stations, notably higher POC flux was observed in spring (March–May), indicating biological production and rapid sinking of POC in this season. Sinking POC in the high flux season showed modern Δ¹⁴C values (>0‰) and aged POC (Δ¹⁴C < −40‰) was observed in winter (December–January). The Δ¹⁴C values in sinking POC were negatively correlated with aluminum concentration, indicating that Δ¹⁴C is strongly related to the lateral supply of lithogenic materials. The Δ¹⁴C values also showed correlations with excess manganese (Mn_xs) concentrations in sinking particles. The Δ¹⁴C-Mn_xs relationship suggested that (1) the majority of the aged POC was advected by bottom currents and incorporated into sinking particles, and (2) some of the aged POC might be supplied from the sea surface at the trap site as part of terrestrial POC. From the difference in the Δ¹⁴C-Mn_xs relationships between the Japan Basin and the Yamato Basin, we consider that basin-scale transport processes of POC occur in the Japan Sea.     

Accumulation and Export of Dissolved Organic Carbon in Surface Waters of Subtropical and Tropical Pacific Ocean

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in surface waters of the Pacific Ocean during October–November, 1995, were determined using a high-temperature combustion method. The DOC in the surface mixed-layer was approximately homogeneous with a concentration between 55 and 89 μmol C l⁻¹. This homogeneity indicates that there is a strong control of the vertical distribution of DOC by mixing processes. The DOC concentrations in the mixed-layer in the subtropical region were up to 27 μmol C l⁻¹ higher than in the tropical region. This difference reflects the subtropical accumulation and the tropical export of DOC. There is a significant positive correlation between DOC and chlorophyll a concentrations in the mixed-layer of the North Pacific subtropical region, suggesting that phytoplankton is the primary source of DOC accumulated in this region. Calculations using simple box models suggest that DOC export in the tropical region (0–50 m depth, 10°N-10°S, along 160°W) occurs primarily by poleward advection at a rate of 0.5–3 mmol C m⁻²day⁻¹. A comparison with estimates of the export rate of particulate organic carbon published in previous studies leads us to conclude that DOC export may contribute less to the carbon budget in the tropical region than has recently been supposed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nearshore scavenging phenomenon elucidated by <Superscript>234</Superscript>th/<Superscript>238</Superscript>u disequilibrium in the coastal waters off Western Taiwan

Dissolved and particulate ²³⁴Th activities in surface seawater were determined at 27 stations along the coastline of western Taiwan during 19–23 November 2004. Contrasting scavenging settings were observed between the northern and southern regimes of the nearshore water off western Taiwan, separated by the Cho-Shui River. The northern regime is characterized by a large quantity of suspended load contributed by northward transport of a suspension plume from the Cho-Shui River, while the southern regime, low in suspended load and high in chlorophyll concentration, is a system controlled by biological activity. A scavenging model that takes account of the physical transport was used to estimate the ²³⁴Th budget in order to estimate the scavenging and removal rates from the nearshore water. The scavenging and removal rates ranged from 21 to 127 dpm m⁻³d⁻¹ and from 36 to 525 dpm m⁻³d⁻¹, for dissolved and particulate ²³⁴Th, respectively. The removal fluxes of particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) were estimated by multiplying the particulate ²³⁴Th removal flux to the organic carbon/²³⁴Th and nitrogen/²³⁴Th ratios in suspended particles, which ranged from 4.5 to 275.2 mmol-C m⁻²d⁻¹ and from 1.3 to 50.1 mmol-N m⁻²d⁻¹, respectively. These fluxes resulted in residence times of 1∼20 days for the POC in the surface water of nearshore water off western Taiwan.     

Dissolved and labile particulate Zr,Hf, Nb,Ta, Mo and W in the western North Pacific Ocean

Dissolved and labile particulate Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Mo and W were determined at stations K1 (51°N, 165°E), K2 (47°N, 160°E), KNOT (44°N, 155°E) and 35N (35°N, 160°E) in the western North Pacific Ocean. A portion of seawater for dissolved species (D) was passed through a 0.2 μm Nuclepore filter and acidified to pH 2.2 with HCl and HF. A portion of seawater for acid-dissolvable species (AD) was acidified without filtration. Labile particulate (LP) species is defined as AD minus D, which represents a chemically labile fraction of particulate species. D-Zr, Hf and Ta increase with depth, Nb shows a slight depletion in surface water, whereas Mo and W have a conservative vertical profile. The concentration range of D-Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta and W is 31–275, 0.14–0.95, 4.0–7.2, 0.08–0.29 and 40–51 pmol kg⁻¹, respectively, whereas that of Mo is 97–105 nmol kg⁻¹. LP-species of Zr, Hf and Ta account for 10–14% of AD in average and increase up to 25% below 4000 m, whereas those for Mo and W are negligible. In contrast, LP-Nb shows maxima (up to 27%) in surface water. We also found that D-Zr/Hf, Nb/Ta and Mo/W mole ratios generally increase in the order continental crust < river water < coastal sea < open ocean.     

Differential transport and degradation of bulk organic carbon and specific terrestrial biomarkers in the surface waters of a sub-arctic brackish bay mixing zone

Detailed organic geochemical analyses were performed on surface water particulate samples of the lower Kalix River and northern Bothnian Bay collected during the spring flood of 2005. Both bulk geochemical and molecular biomarker analyses indicated a predominance of terrestrially-derived particulate organic matter (POM), both of higher plant and Sphagnum origin in the low salinity zone (LSZ) of the Kalix River estuary, with an increasing contribution of marine-derived POM in the offshore Bothnian Bay basin.Two-dimensional box modeling of the mixed surface layer in the LSZ indicated that 65% of the particulate organic carbon (POC) and between 73 and 93% of the terrestrial biomarker classes analyzed (high molecular weight n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids and n-alkanols as well as sitosterol) were degraded in the course of their weeklong transit through the inner LSZ during the spring flood. This corresponds to field-based degradation rate constants for the biomarkers of 0.5 and 2.5 day^− 1, which are similar to results reported from mesocosm experiments for related compounds. The degradation rate constant for terrestrial POC of 0.38 day^− 1 was about 20 times larger than for DOC and suggests that POC mineralization stands for 44% of the total mineralization, which is much larger than previously considered.This sub-arctic river-export regime has a geochemistry resembling that of neighboring western Russian Arctic Rivers, suggesting that a large part of the OM coastally exported from northernmost Eurasian soils may be degraded within the vicinity of the river mouths and putatively be released as carbon dioxide. The 65% degradation of terrestrial POC in the coastal surface water of this sub-arctic recipient is substantially larger than a global-average of 35% used in recent budget estimates of the fate of terrestrially-exported POC on the pan-arctic shelves. Considering ongoing and predicted changes in the Arctic Region due to global warming a more efficient degradation of river-exported terrestrial POC may have far-reaching consequences for the large-scale biogeochemical cycling of carbon in the pan-arctic region and beyond.     

Origin and biochemical cycling of particulate nitrogen in the Mandovi estuary

Mandovi estuary is a tropical estuary strongly influenced by the southwest monsoon. In order to understand, sources and fate of particulate organic nitrogen, suspended particulate matter (SPM) collected from various locations, was analyzed for particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON), δ¹³C_POC, total hydrolysable amino acid enantiomers (l- and d- amino acids) concentration and composition. δ¹³C_POC values were depleted (−32 to −25‰) during the monsoon and enriched (−29.6 to −21‰) in the pre-monsoon season implying that OM was derived from terrestrial and marine sources during the former and latter season, respectively. The biological indicators such as C/N ratio, d-amino acids, THAA yields and degradation indices (DI) indicate that the particulate organic matter (POM) was relatively more degraded during the monsoon season. Conversely, during the pre-monsoon, the biological indicators indicated the presence of relatively fresh and labile POM derived from autochthonous sources. Amino acids such as alanine, aspartic acid, leucine, serine, arginine, and threonine in monsoon and glutamic acid, glycine, valine, lysine, and isoleucine in pre-monsoon were relatively abundant. Presence of bacterial biomarker, d-amino acids in the SPM of the estuary during both the seasons signifies important contribution of bacteria to the estuarine detrital ON pool. Based on d-amino acid yields, bacterial OM accounted for 16-34% (23.0 ± 6.7%) of POC and 29-75% (47.9 ± 18.7%) of PON in monsoon, and 30-78% (50.0 ± 15%) of POC and 34-79% (51.2 ± 13.3%) of the PON in pre-monsoon in the estuary. Substantial contribution of bacterial-N to PON indicates nitrogen (N) enrichment on terrestrial POM during the monsoon season. Transport of terrestrial POM enriched with bacterial OM to the coastal waters is expected to influence coastal productivity and ecosystem functioning during the monsoon season.     

Origin and decomposition of sinking particulate organic matter in the deep water column inferred from the vertical distributions of its δN, δ and δ

Sinking particles were analyzed for their nitrogen isotopic ratio δ¹⁵N) of total particulate nitrogen (PN), stable carbon isotopic ratio (δ¹³C) and radioactive isotopic ratio (δ¹⁴C) of total particulate organic carbon (POC), at three different latitudinal (temperate, subpolar and equatorial) and geomorphological (trench, proximal abyssal plain and distal abyssal plain) sites in the western North Pacific Ocean using year-long time series sediment trap systems, to clarify the common vertical trends of the isotopic signals in deep water columns. Although the δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values of sinking particulate organic matter (POM) were partly affected by the resuspension of sedimentary POM from the sea floor, especially in the trench, the changes in δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values owing to the resuspension could be corrected by calculation of the isotopic mass balance from δ¹⁴C of sinking POC. After this correction, common downward decreasing trends in δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values were obtained in the deep water columns, irrespective of the latitudes and depths. These coincidental isotopic signals between δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values provide new constraints for the decomposition process of sinking POM, such as the preferential degradation of ¹⁵N- and ¹³C-rich compounds and the successive re-formation of the sinking particles by higher trophic level organisms in the deep water column.     

Was a carbon balance measured in the equatorial Pacific during JGOFS?

The likelihood that the carbon fluxes measured as part of the US-JGOFS field program in the equatorial Pacific ocean (EgPac) during 1992 yielded a balanced carbon budget for the surface ocean was determined. The major carbon fluxes incorporated into a surface carbon budget were: new production, particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export, CaC0₃ export, C0₂ gas evasion, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) supply, and the time rate of charge. The ratio of the measured concentration gradients of DOC and DIC provided a constraint on the ratio of POC/DOC export. Uncertainties of ±30–50% for individual carbon flux measurements reduce the likelihood that a carbon balance can be measured during a JGOFS process-type study. As a benchmark, carbon fluxes were prescribed to yield a hypothetical surface carbon budget that was, on average, balanced. Given the typical errors in the individual carbon fluxes, however, there was only about a 30% chance that this hypothetical budget could be measured to be balanced to ±50%. Using this benchmark, it was determined that there was a 95 % chance that the carbon flux measurements yielded a surface DIC budget balanced (to ±50%) during El Nino conditions in boreal spring 1992, when the total organic carbon export rate was - 5 mmol C m-2 day- 1 and the POC export was 3 mmol C m⁻² day⁻¹. In boreal fall 1992, during cold period conditions, there was a 70% chance that the surface carbon DIC budget was balanced when the total organic carbon export rate was 20 mmol C m⁻² day⁻¹ and export was -13 mmol C m-2 day-'. The DOC to DIC concentration gradient ratio of - -0.15, measured in depth profiles down to 100m and in surface waters, was used as an important constraint that most (> 70%) of the organic carbon exported from the euphotic zone was POC rather than DOC. If a balanced surface DIC budget was used to test the compatibility of individual carbon fluxes measured during EgPac, then a three- to four-fold increase in total and particulate organic carbon export between spring and fall is indicated. This increase was not reflected in the POC loss rates measured by drifting sediment trap collections or estimated by²³⁴Th deficiencies coupled with the C/Th measured on suspended particles.     

Degradation of phytoplankton-derived organic matter: Implications for carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry in coastal ecosystems

Experiments were conducted using seawater from the Oregon continental shelf to determine: (1) rates of phytoplankton-derived particulate organic matter (POM) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) degradation by natural microbial communities, and (2) whether inorganic nutrients or flagellate grazing limit the bacterial response to, and subsequent degradation of, the DOM. In the initial seawater samples, nutrients were depleted and organic matter concentrations were elevated above concentrations found in upwelled water, indicative of recent bloom conditions. In whole water treatments incubated for 3 d, an average of 24% of the total organic C and 33% of the POC was degraded, with some portion of the POC being converted to DOC. In treatments incubated after POM was removed by filtration, DOC degradation was initially rapid and then proceeded at a slower rate. After 3 d, an average of 41% of the DOC was degraded. Selective degradation of the C-component of both the POM and DOM relative to the N-component was observed. Reductions in flagellate grazing resulted in increases in bacterial abundance and enhanced DOC degradation, while inorganic nutrient amendments had little effect. Overall, these results suggest that a fraction of the phytoplankton-derived POM and DOM can be rapidly degraded, contributing to oxygen consumption on the continental shelf. The long degradation time of a less labile DOC fraction relative to potential offshelf transport mechanisms suggests that Oregon's coastal waters may be a source of DOC to adjacent offshore waters of the North Pacific.     

Seasonal export fluxes of particulate organic carbon from <Superscript>234</Superscript>Th/<Superscript>238</Superscript>U disequilibrium measurements in the Ulleung Basin<Superscript>1</Superscript> (Tsushima Basin) of the East Sea<Superscript>1</Superscript> (Sea of Japan)

Export fluxes of particulate organic carbon (POC) were estimated from the ²³⁴Th/²³⁸U disequilibrium in the Ulleung Basin¹ (UB) of the East/Japan Sea¹ (EJS) over four seasons. The fluxes were calculated by multiplying the average POC/²³⁴Th ratio of sinking particles larger than 0.7 μm at 100- and 200-m water depths to ²³⁴Th fluxes by the integrated ²³⁴Th/²³⁸U disequilibrium from the surface to 100-m water depth. In spring, the ²³⁴Th profiles changed dramatically with sampling time, and hence a non-steady-state ²³⁴Th model was used to estimate the ²³⁴Th fluxes. The ²³⁴Th flux estimated from the non-steady-state model was an order of magnitude higher than that estimated from the steady-state model. The ²³⁴Th fluxes estimated using the steady-state model showed distinct seasonal variation, with high values in summer and winter and low values in autumn. In spring, the phytoplankton biomass had the highest value, and primary production was higher than in summer and autumn, but the ²³⁴Th fluxes were moderate. However, these values might have been significantly underestimated, as the ²³⁴Th fluxes were estimated using the steady-state model. The POC export fluxes estimated in autumn were about four times lower than those in other seasons when they were rather similar. The annually averaged POC flux was estimated to be 161 ± 76 mgC m⁻² day⁻¹, which was somewhat lower than that in highly productive coastal areas, and higher than that in oligotrophic regions. The export/primary production (ThE) ratios ranged from 7.0 to 56.1%, with higher values in spring and summer and lower values in autumn and winter. In summer, a high ThE ratio of 48.4 ± 7.0% was measured. This may be attributed to the mass diatom sinking event following nitrate depletion. In the UB¹, the annually averaged ThE ratio was estimated to be 34.4 ± 12.9%, much higher than that in oligotrophic oceans. The high ThE ratio may have contributed to the high organic carbon accumulation in the UB¹.     

Role of Zooplankton in the Vertical Mass Flux in the Kara and Laptev Seas in Fall

The role of zooplankton in the vertical mass flux in the Kara and Laptev seas was studied during cruise 63 of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh in August–October 2015. Mass fluxes were estimated using sediment trap samples. The maximum values of the total vertical flux (19600 mg m^?2 day^?1) and particulate organic carbon (POC) flux (464 mg C m^?2 day^?1) were measured close to the Lena River Delta in the Laptev Sea. In the Kara Sea, the total flux (80–2700 mg m^?2 day^?1) and the POC flux (17–130 mg C m^?2 day^?1) were substantially higher than the estimates published earlier. The fecal pellet flux varied from 2 to 92 mg C m^?2 day^?1 and made up 4–190% of the total organic carbon flux. The mineral composition of fecal pellets largely mirrored that of suspended particulate matter. Clay minerals in the fecal pellets were more abundant than in particulate matter in the areas with noticeable freshwater impact. The flux of zooplankton carcasses varied from 0.1 to 66.4 mg C m^?2 day^?1 and made up 0.2–72% of total POC flux. The results are discussed in relation to the abundance and composition of zooplankton, the concentration and composition of suspended particulate matter, hydrophysical conditions, and methods of sample preparation for analysis.     

Spatial and temporal distribution patterns of suspended particulate matter and particulate organic carbon in the Saronikos Gulf (eastern Mediterranean, Greece)

In 1998–1999, beam attenuation coefficient (bac) profiles, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations were assessed during five cruises in the Saronikos Gulf, eastern Mediterranean, Greece. SPM and POC concentrations (0.05–1.84 mg l⁻¹ and 10.2–468.6 μg l⁻¹, respectively) exhibited strong spatial and temporal variations, related to the different environmental characteristics of various sectors of the gulf, including wind regime and biological productivity. The Elefsis and Keratsini bays, as well as the area around Psyttaleia Island, showed the highest POC concentrations. The vertical distribution of POC at stations in the western basin, as well as in the inner and outer Saronikos Gulf is characterised by higher POC concentrations in surface waters, associated with higher biological activity. The wastewater treatment plant effluents discharged south of the Psyttaleia Island are a major source of organic particles which directly influence the intermediate water layers, at least during the stratification period. Assessments of relationships between bac and SPM or POC concentrations revealed a relatively strong correlation between bac and POC. An equation converting bac readings to POC concentration was established which can be applied to historical and/or future bac measurements, independently of season. POC concentrations estimated from calibrated continuous transmissometer readings were used to estimate the standing stock of POC in the Saronikos Gulf, which varied between 6,110×10⁶ and 13,450×10⁶ g C during the period June 1998 to February 1999.     

East-west distribution of POC fluxes estimated from <Superscript>234</Superscript>Th in the northern North Pacific in autumn

Observations of primary productivity, ²³⁴Th, and particulate organic carbon (POC) were made from west to east across the northern North Pacific Ocean (from station K2 to Ocean Station Papa) during September–October 2005. Primary productivities in this region varied longitudinally from approximately 236 to 444 mgC m⁻²d⁻¹ and clearly indicate the West High East Low (WHEL) trend. We estimated east-west variations in the POC flux from the surface layer (0–100 m) by using ²³⁴Th as a tracer. POC fluxes in the western region (44–53 mgC m⁻²d⁻¹) were higher than those in the eastern region (21–34 mgC m⁻²d⁻¹). However, the export ratios (e-ratios) ranged from approximately 8% to 16% and did not show the WHEL trend. Contrary to our expectation, no relation between POC flux (or e-ratio) and diatom biomass (or dominance) was apparent in autumn in the northern North Pacific.     

Laboratory study of nitrogen and phosphorus remineralization during the decomposition of coastal plankton and seston

The decomposition of cultured marine phytoplankton (Skeletonema costatum) and natural estuarine seston from Narragansett Bay, RI, was studied at two temperatures (8°C and 18°C) in bottles containing sterile bay-water (30‰) and in bay-water with micro-organisms small enough to pass through a glass fibre filter (nominally < 1μ). About 50% of the particulate organic nitrogen (PON) and particulate phosphorus (PP) was immediately released to the water in dissolved organic forms from both types of organic matter. Comparison of changes in the dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) fraction in the sterile and non-sterile systems indicated that nearly all of the DON initially released was subsequently remineralized. Ammonification proceeded only in non-sterile bay-water. 20–25% of the PP was converted to dissolved inorganic-P (DIP) fraction after only 7 h in both sterile and non-sterile bay-water. Following autolytic releases of DON, DOP and DIP the initial rates of N and P remineralization were temperature dependent: Q₁₀ values for PON and PP decay during first phase of microbially mediated decomposition ranged from 1·3 to 6·4. Rates of remineralization then slowed so that about equal amounts of nutrients were remineralized (45–50% of the N and 57–60% of the P in the phytoplankton and 60–63% of the N and 36–60% of the P in the natural seston) after 30 days storage at either temperature. During 30 days of decomposition in non-sterile seawater the N/P ratios in the dissolved inorganic fractions converged on the ratios of total-N/total-P initially present in the bottles. Kinetic analysis of the decay of total organic-N (TON) and total organic-P (TOP) in the non-sterile systems and analysis of similar sets found in the literature showed that the initial stages of the decomposition of N and P from planktonic POM in vitro could be modelled as the sequential decay, at first-order rates, of two particulate fractions. The first, more labile, fraction comprised about 60% of the particulate N and P. First-order rate constants (−k, base e) for decomposition during the 1st and 2nd phases were 0·02 to 0·2 day⁻¹ and 0·003 to 0·02 day⁻¹, respectively. The decay rates are far too slow to account for the ‘rapid in situ recycling’ of nutrients needed to support phytoplankton production when other means of nutrient resupply (by advection, fixation, rainfall, etc.) are very low.     

A new method of evaluating the mineralization of particulate and dissolved photoassimilated organic matter

A new method of evaluating the rate of mineralization of photoassimilated organic matter is described. This method enables us to compare the rate of direct mineralization of particulate organic carbon (POC) to CO₂ with the rate of solubilization of photoassimilated organic carbon followed by the mineralization of the resultant dissolved organic carbon (DOC) under the same conditions. The direct mineralization of photoassimilated carbon from POC to CO₂ is a more significant process compared with the mineralization of extracellular released organic carbon. The first-order rate coefficients range from 0.132 to 0.434 day^–1 for direct mineralization and 0.034 to 0.189 day^–1 for solubilization.     

Calibration of sediment traps and particulate organic carbon export using 234Th in the Barents Sea

Profiles of particulate and dissolved ²³⁴Th (t_1/2=24.1 days) in seawater and particulate ²³⁴Th collected in drifting traps were analyzed in the Barents Sea at five stations during the ALV3 cruise (from June 28 to July 12, 1999) along a transect from 78°15′N–34°09′E to 73°49′N–31°43′E. ²³⁴Th/²³⁸U disequilibrium was observed at all locations. ²³⁴Th data measured in suspended and trapped particles were used to calibrate the catchment efficiency of the sediment traps. Model-derived ²³⁴Th fluxes were similar to ²³⁴Th fluxes measured in sediment traps based on a steady-state ²³⁴Th model. This suggests that the sediment traps were not subject to large trapping efficiency problems (collection efficiency ranges from 70% to 100% for four traps). The export flux of particulate organic carbon (POC) can be calculated from the model-derived export flux of ²³⁴Th and the POC/²³⁴Th ratio. POC/²³⁴Th ratios measured in suspended and trapped particles were very different (52.0±9.9 and 5.3±2.2 μmol dpm⁻¹, respectively). The agreement between calculated and measured POC fluxes when the POC/²³⁴Th ratio of trapped particles was used confirms that the POC/²³⁴Th ratio in trap particles is representative of sinking particles. Large discrepancies were observed between calculated and measured POC fluxes when the POC/²³⁴Th ratio of suspended particles was used. In the Barents Sea, vertical POC fluxes are higher than POC fluxes estimated in the central Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort Sea and lower than those calculated in the Northeast Water Polynya and the Chukchi Sea. We suggest that the latter fluxes may have been strongly overestimated, because they were based on high POC/²³⁴Th ratios measured on suspended particles. It seems that POC fluxes cannot be reliably derived from thorium budgets without measuring the POC/²³⁴Th ratio of sediment trap material or of large filtered particles.     

Origin and decomposition of sinking particulate organic matter in the deep water column inferred from the vertical distributions of its δN, δ and δ

Sinking particles were analyzed for their nitrogen isotopic ratio δ¹⁵N) of total particulate nitrogen (PN), stable carbon isotopic ratio (δ¹³C) and radioactive isotopic ratio (δ¹⁴C) of total particulate organic carbon (POC), at three different latitudinal (temperate, subpolar and equatorial) and geomorphological (trench, proximal abyssal plain and distal abyssal plain) sites in the western North Pacific Ocean using year-long time series sediment trap systems, to clarify the common vertical trends of the isotopic signals in deep water columns. Although the δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values of sinking particulate organic matter (POM) were partly affected by the resuspension of sedimentary POM from the sea floor, especially in the trench, the changes in δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values owing to the resuspension could be corrected by calculation of the isotopic mass balance from δ¹⁴C of sinking POC. After this correction, common downward decreasing trends in δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values were obtained in the deep water columns, irrespective of the latitudes and depths. These coincidental isotopic signals between δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values provide new constraints for the decomposition process of sinking POM, such as the preferential degradation of ¹⁵N- and ¹³C-rich compounds and the successive re-formation of the sinking particles by higher trophic level organisms in the deep water column.     

Stocks and dynamics of dissolved and particulate organic matter in the southern Ross Sea, Antarctica

Dissolved and particulate organic matter was measured during six cruises to the southern Ross Sea. The cruises were conducted during late austral winter to autumn from 1994 to 1997 and included coverage of various stages of the seasonal phytoplankton bloom. The data from the various years are compiled into a representative seasonal cycle in order to assess general patterns of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) dynamics in the southern Ross Sea. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) were at background concentrations of approximately 42 and 3 μM C, respectively, during the late winter conditions in October. As the spring phytoplankton bloom progressed, organic matter increased, and by January DOC and POC reached as high as 30 and 107 μM C, respectively, in excess of initial wintertime conditions. Stocks and concentrations of DOC and POC returned to near background values by autumn (April). Approximately 90% of the accumulated organic matter was partitioned into POM, with modest net accumulation of DOM stocks despite large net organic matter production and the dominance of Phaeocystis antarctica. Changes in NO₃ concentration from wintertime values were used to calculate the equivalent biological drawdown of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC_equiv). The fraction of DIC_equiv drawdown resulting in net DOC production was relatively constant (ca. 11%), despite large temporal and spatial variability in DIC_equiv drawdown. The C : N (molar ratio) of the seasonally produced DOM had a geometric mean of 6.2 and was nitrogen-rich compared to background DOM. The DOM stocks that accumulate in excess of deep refractory background stocks are often referred to as “semi-labile” DOM. The “semi-labile” pool in the Ross Sea turns over on timescales of about 6 months. As a result of the modest net DOM production and its lability, the role DOM plays in export to the deep sea is small in this region.     

Abundance, size distribution, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of marine organic matter isolated by tangential-flow ultrafiltration

Tangential-flow ultrafiltration was used to isolate particulate and high-molecular-weight dissolved material from seawater collected at various depths and geographic regions of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Ultrafiltration proved to be a relatively fast and efficient method for the isolation of hundreds of milligrams of material. Optical and electron microscopy of the isolated materials revealed that relatively fragile materials were recovered intact. Depth-weighted results of the size distribution of organic matter in seawater indicated that ˜ 75% of marine organic carbon was low-molecular-weight (LMW) dissolved organic carbon (< 1 nm), ˜ 24% was high-molecular-weight (HMW) dissolved organic carbon (1–100 nm), and ˜ 1% was particulate organic carbon (> 100 nm). The distribution of carbon in surface water was shifted to greater relative abundances of larger size fractions, suggesting a diagenetic sequence from macromolecular material to small refractory molecules. The average C:N ratios of particulate organic matter (POM) and HMW dissolved organic matter (DOM) were 7.7 and 16.7, respectively. Differences in C:N ratios between POM and HMW DOM were large and invariant with depth and geographic region, indicating that the aggregation of HMW DOM to form POM must be of minor significance to overall carbon dynamics. The stable carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) of POM averaged −22.7%. in surface water and −25.2%. in subsurface water. Several possible explanations for the observed isotopic shift with depth were explored, but we were unable to discern the cause. The δ¹³C of HMW DOM samples was relatively constant and averaged −21.7%., indicating a predominantly marine origin for this material. The δ¹⁵N values of POM were highly variable (5.8–15.4%.), and the availability of nitrate in surface waters appeared to be the major factor influencing δ¹⁵N values in the equatorial Pacific. In the upwelling region nitrate concentrations were relatively high and δ¹⁵N values of POM were low, whereas to the north and south of the upwelling nitrate concentrations were low and δ¹⁵N values were high. The δ¹⁵N values of HMW DOM reflected the same trends observed in the POM fraction and provided the first such evidence for biological cycling of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). Using the observed δ¹⁵N values and an estimate of meridional advection velocity, we estimated a turnover time of 0.3 to 0.5% day⁻¹ for HMW DON. These results suggest a major role for DON in the upper ocean nitrogen cycle.