The decline and fate of an iron-induced subarctic phytoplankton bloom

Philip W. Boyd (), Cliff S. Law, C.S. Wong, Yukihiro Nojiri, Atsushi Tsuda, Maurice Levasseur, Shigenobu Takeda, Richard Rivkin, Paul J. Harrison, Robert Strzepek, Jim Gower, R. Mike McKay, Edward Abraham, Mike Arychuk, Janet Barwell-Clarke, William Crawford, David Crawford, Michelle Hale, Koh Harada, Keith Johnson, Hiroshi Kiyosawa, Isao Kudo, Adrian Marchetti, William Miller, Joe Needoba, Jun Nishioka, Hiroshi Ogawa, John Page, Marie Robert, Hiroaki Saito, Akash Sastri, Nelson Sherry, Tim Soutar, Nes Sutherland, Yosuke Taira, Frank Whitney, Shau-King Emmy Wong and Takeshi Yoshimura
Additional contact information
Philip W. Boyd: University of Otago
Cliff S. Law: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
C.S. Wong: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Yukihiro Nojiri: National Institute for Environmental Studies
Atsushi Tsuda: University of Tokyo
Maurice Levasseur: University of Laval
Shigenobu Takeda: University of Tokyo
Richard Rivkin: Memorial University of Newfoundland
Paul J. Harrison: University of British Columbia
Robert Strzepek: University of Otago
Jim Gower: Institute of Ocean Sciences
R. Mike McKay: Bowling Green State University
Edward Abraham: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
Mike Arychuk: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Janet Barwell-Clarke: Institute of Ocean Sciences
William Crawford: Institute of Ocean Sciences
David Crawford: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Michelle Hale: Memorial University of Newfoundland
Koh Harada: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Keith Johnson: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Hiroshi Kiyosawa: Marine Biological Research Institute of Japan
Isao Kudo: Hokkaido University
Adrian Marchetti: University of British Columbia
William Miller: Dalhousie University, Department of Oceanography
Joe Needoba: University of British Columbia
Jun Nishioka: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry
Hiroshi Ogawa: Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
John Page: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Marie Robert: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Hiroaki Saito: Tohoku National Fisheries Research Institute
Akash Sastri: University of Victoria
Nelson Sherry: University of British Columbia
Tim Soutar: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Nes Sutherland: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Yosuke Taira: Hokkaido University
Frank Whitney: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Shau-King Emmy Wong: Institute of Ocean Sciences
Takeshi Yoshimura: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry

Nature, 2004, vol. 428, issue 6982, 549-553

Abstract: Abstract Iron supply has a key role in stimulating phytoplankton blooms in high-nitrate low-chlorophyll oceanic waters1,2,3,4,5. However, the fate of the carbon fixed by these blooms, and how efficiently it is exported into the ocean's interior, remains largely unknown1,2,3,4,5. Here we report on the decline and fate of an iron-stimulated diatom bloom in the Gulf of Alaska. The bloom terminated on day 18, following the depletion of iron and then silicic acid, after which mixed-layer particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations declined over six days. Increased particulate silica export via sinking diatoms was recorded in sediment traps at depths between 50 and 125 m from day 21, yet increased POC export was not evident until day 24. Only a small proportion of the mixed-layer POC was intercepted by the traps, with more than half of the mixed-layer POC deficit attributable to bacterial remineralization and mesozooplankton grazing. The depletion of silicic acid and the inefficient transfer of iron-increased POC below the permanent thermocline have major implications both for the biogeochemical interpretation of times of greater iron supply in the geological past6,7, and also for proposed geo-engineering schemes to increase oceanic carbon sequestration3,8.

Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1038/nature02437

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