Enhanced carbon pump inferred from relaxation of nutrient limitation in the glacial ocean

L. E. Pichevin (), B. C. Reynolds, R. S. Ganeshram, I. Cacho, L. Pena, K. Keefe and R. M. Ellam
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L. E. Pichevin: School of Geosciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, West Main Road, EH10 3JW, Edinburgh, UK
B. C. Reynolds: IGMR, ETH Zürich, Clausiusstrasse 25, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
R. S. Ganeshram: School of Geosciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, West Main Road, EH10 3JW, Edinburgh, UK
I. Cacho: GRC Geociències Marines, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona C/ Martí Franques s/n
L. Pena: GRC Geociències Marines, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona C/ Martí Franques s/n
K. Keefe: Scottish Universities Environment Research Centre, Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, G75 0QF, UK
R. M. Ellam: Scottish Universities Environment Research Centre, Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, G75 0QF, UK

Nature, 2009, vol. 459, issue 7250, 1114-1117

Abstract: Biological pumping in the glacial ocean It has been suggested that the delivery of dust-borne iron to the glacial ocean could have increased primary productivity and enhanced deep-sea carbon export in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific, lowering atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations during glacial periods. But lower opal accumulation rates cast doubts on the importance of the Eastern Equatorial Pacific as an oceanic region for significant glacial carbon dioxide drawdown. Pichevin et al. now present a silicon isotope record that suggests the paradoxical decline in opal accumulation rate in the glacial Eastern Equatorial Pacific results from a decrease in the silicon to carbon uptake ratio of diatoms under conditions of increased iron availability from enhanced dust input. The study provides support for an invigorated biological pump in this region during the last glacial period that could have contributed to glacial carbon dioxide drawdown.

Date: 2009
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DOI: 10.1038/nature08101

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