A mesoscale phytoplankton bloom in the polar Southern Ocean stimulated by iron fertilization

Philip W. Boyd (), Andrew J. Watson, Cliff S. Law, Edward R. Abraham, Thomas Trull, Rob Murdoch, Dorothee C. E. Bakker, Andrew R. Bowie, K. O. Buesseler, Hoe Chang, Matthew Charette, Peter Croot, Ken Downing, Russell Frew, Mark Gall, Mark Hadfield, Julie Hall, Mike Harvey, Greg Jameson, Julie LaRoche, Malcolm Liddicoat, Roger Ling, Maria T. Maldonado, R. Michael McKay, Scott Nodder, Stu Pickmere, Rick Pridmore, Steve Rintoul, Karl Safi, Philip Sutton, Robert Strzepek, Kim Tanneberger, Suzanne Turner, Anya Waite and John Zeldis
Additional contact information
Philip W. Boyd: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Centre for Chemical and Physical Oceanography, University of Otago
Andrew J. Watson: School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia
Cliff S. Law: Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Edward R. Abraham: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere
Thomas Trull: Antarctic Co-operative Research Centre, University of Tasmania
Rob Murdoch: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere
Dorothee C. E. Bakker: School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia
Andrew R. Bowie: Plymouth Marine Laboratory
K. O. Buesseler: Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry MS25 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Hoe Chang: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere
Matthew Charette: Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry MS25 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Peter Croot: Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ)
Ken Downing: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere
Russell Frew: University of Otago
Mark Gall: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Christchurch
Mark Hadfield: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere
Julie Hall: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Hamilton
Mike Harvey: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere
Greg Jameson: Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Julie LaRoche: Institut fuer Meereskunde, Universitaet Kiel
Malcolm Liddicoat: Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Roger Ling: Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Maria T. Maldonado: McGill University
R. Michael McKay: Bowling Green State University
Scott Nodder: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere
Stu Pickmere: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Hamilton
Rick Pridmore: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Hamilton
Steve Rintoul: CSIRO Division of Marine Research
Karl Safi: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Hamilton
Philip Sutton: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere
Robert Strzepek: University of British Columbia
Kim Tanneberger: School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia
Suzanne Turner: School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia
Anya Waite: Centre for Water Research, University of Western Australia
John Zeldis: National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Christchurch

Nature, 2000, vol. 407, issue 6805, 695-702

Abstract: Abstract Changes in iron supply to oceanic plankton are thought to have a significant effect on concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide by altering rates of carbon sequestration, a theory known as the ‘iron hypothesis’. For this reason, it is important to understand the response of pelagic biota to increased iron supply. Here we report the results of a mesoscale iron fertilization experiment in the polar Southern Ocean, where the potential to sequester iron-elevated algal carbon is probably greatest. Increased iron supply led to elevated phytoplankton biomass and rates of photosynthesis in surface waters, causing a large drawdown of carbon dioxide and macronutrients, and elevated dimethyl sulphide levels after 13 days. This drawdown was mostly due to the proliferation of diatom stocks. But downward export of biogenic carbon was not increased. Moreover, satellite observations of this massive bloom 30 days later, suggest that a sufficient proportion of the added iron was retained in surface waters. Our findings demonstrate that iron supply controls phytoplankton growth and community composition during summer in these polar Southern Ocean waters, but the fate of algal carbon remains unknown and depends on the interplay between the processes controlling export, remineralisation and timescales of water mass subduction.

Date: 2000
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DOI: 10.1038/35037500

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