Wind-driven upwelling of iron sustains dense blooms and food webs in the eastern Weddell Gyre

Sebastien Moreau (), Tore Hattermann, Laura Steur, Hanna M. Kauko, Heidi Ahonen, Murat Ardelan, Philipp Assmy, Melissa Chierici, Sebastien Descamps, Tilman Dinter, Tone Falkenhaug, Agneta Fransson, Eirik Grønningsæter, Elvar H. Hallfredsson, Oliver Huhn, Anais Lebrun, Andrew Lowther, Nico Lübcker, Pedro Monteiro, Ilka Peeken, Alakendra Roychoudhury, Magdalena Różańska, Thomas Ryan-Keogh, Nicolas Sanchez, Asmita Singh, Jan Henrik Simonsen, Nadine Steiger, Sandy J. Thomalla, Andre Tonder, Jozef M. Wiktor and Harald Steen
Additional contact information
Sebastien Moreau: Norwegian Polar Institute
Tore Hattermann: Norwegian Polar Institute
Laura Steur: Norwegian Polar Institute
Hanna M. Kauko: Norwegian Polar Institute
Heidi Ahonen: Norwegian Polar Institute
Murat Ardelan: NTNU, Trondheim University
Philipp Assmy: Norwegian Polar Institute
Melissa Chierici: Institute of Marine Research
Sebastien Descamps: Norwegian Polar Institute
Tilman Dinter: Alfred Wegener Institute
Tone Falkenhaug: Institute of Marine Research
Agneta Fransson: Norwegian Polar Institute
Eirik Grønningsæter: Norwegian Polar Institute
Elvar H. Hallfredsson: Institute of Marine Research
Oliver Huhn: University of Bremen
Anais Lebrun: Sorbonne Université, CNRS
Andrew Lowther: Norwegian Polar Institute
Nico Lübcker: University of New Mexico
Pedro Monteiro: Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observatory, CSIR
Ilka Peeken: Alfred Wegener Institute
Alakendra Roychoudhury: Stellenbosch University
Magdalena Różańska: Institute of Oceanology PAN
Thomas Ryan-Keogh: Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observatory, CSIR
Nicolas Sanchez: NTNU, Trondheim University
Asmita Singh: Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observatory, CSIR
Jan Henrik Simonsen: Institute of Marine Research
Nadine Steiger: University of Bergen and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Sandy J. Thomalla: Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observatory, CSIR
Andre Tonder: University of Pretoria
Jozef M. Wiktor: Institute of Oceanology PAN
Harald Steen: Norwegian Polar Institute

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract The Southern Ocean is a major sink of anthropogenic CO2 and an important foraging area for top trophic level consumers. However, iron limitation sets an upper limit to primary productivity. Here we report on a considerably dense late summer phytoplankton bloom spanning 9000 km2 in the open ocean of the eastern Weddell Gyre. Over its 2.5 months duration, the bloom accumulated up to 20 g C m−2 of organic matter, which is unusually high for Southern Ocean open waters. We show that, over 1997–2019, this open ocean bloom was likely driven by anomalies in easterly winds that push sea ice southwards and favor the upwelling of Warm Deep Water enriched in hydrothermal iron and, possibly, other iron sources. This recurring open ocean bloom likely facilitates enhanced carbon export and sustains high standing stocks of Antarctic krill, supporting feeding hot spots for marine birds and baleen whales.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36992-1

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