Chris J. Daniels

Predominance of heavily calcified coccolithophores at low CaCO3 saturation during winter in the Bay of Biscay

Coccolithophores are an important component of the Earth system, and, as calcifiers, their possible susceptibility to ocean acidification is of major concern. Laboratory studies at enhanced pCO2 levels have produced divergent results without overall consensus. However, it has been predicted from these studies that, although calcification may not be depressed in all species, acidification will produce “a transition in dominance from more to less heavily calcified coccolithophores” [Ridgwell A, et al., (2009) Biogeosciences 6:2611–2623]. A recent observational study [Beaufort L, et al., (2011) Nature 476:80–83] also suggested that coccolithophores are less calcified in more acidic conditions. We present the results of a large observational study of coccolithophore morphology in the Bay of Biscay. Samples were collected once a month for over a year, along a 1,000-km-long transect. Our data clearly show that there is a pronounced seasonality in the morphotypes of Emiliania huxleyi, the most abundant coccolithophore species. Whereas pH and CaCO3 saturation are lowest in winter, the E. huxleyi population shifts from <10% (summer) to >90% (winter) of the heavily calcified form. However, it is unlikely that the shifts in carbonate chemistry alone caused the morphotype shift. Our finding that the most heavily calcified morphotype dominates when conditions are most acidic is contrary to the earlier predictions and raises further questions about the fate of coccolithophores in a high-CO2 world.

Attenuation of particulate organic carbon flux in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean, is controlled by zooplankton fecal pellets

The Southern Ocean (SO) is an important CO2 reservoir, some of which enters via the production, sinking, and remineralization of organic matter. Recent work suggests that the fraction of production that sinks is inversely related to production in the SO, a suggestion that we confirm from 20 stations in the Scotia Sea. The efficiency with which exported material is transferred to depth (transfer efficiency) is believed to be low in high-latitude systems. However, our estimates of transfer efficiency are bimodal, with stations in the seasonal ice zone showing intense losses and others displaying increases in flux with depth. Zooplankton fecal pellets dominated the organic carbon flux and at stations with transfer efficiency >100% fecal pellets were brown, indicative of fresh phytodetritus. We suggest that active flux mediated by zooplankton vertical migration and the presence of sea ice regulates the transfer of organic carbon into the oceans interior in the Southern Ocean.

Carbon export efficiency and phytoplankton community composition in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean

Arctic primary production is sensitive to reductions in sea ice cover, and will likely increase into the future. Whether this increased primary production (PP) will translate into increased export of particulate organic carbon (POC) is currently unclear. Here we report on the POC export efficiency during summer 2012 in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean. We coupled 234-thorium based estimates of the export flux of POC to onboard incubation-based estimates of PP. Export efficiency (defined as the fraction of PP that is exported below 100 m depth: ThE-ratio) showed large variability (0.09 ± 0.19–1.3 ± 0.3). The highest ThE-ratio (1.3 ± 0.3) was recorded in a mono-specific bloom of Phaeocystis pouchetii located in the ice edge. Blooming diatom dominated areas also had high ThE-ratios (0.1 ± 0.1–0.5 ± 0.2), while mixed and/or prebloom communities showed lower ThE-ratios (0.10 ± 0.03–0.19 ± 0.05). Furthermore, using oxygen saturation, bacterial abundance, bacterial production, and zooplankton oxygen demand, we also investigated spatial variability in the degree to which this sinking material may be remineralized in the upper mesopelagic ( 100 m) at a similar rate as the material sinking from diatom blooms in the upper mesopelagic, contrary to previous findings.

Carbon exchange between a shelf sea and the ocean: The Hebrides Shelf, west of Scotland

Global mass balance calculations indicate the majority of particulate organic carbon (POC) exported from shelf seas is transferred via downslope exchange processes. Here we demonstrate the downslope flux of POC from the Hebrides Shelf is approximately 3-to-5-fold larger per unit length/area than the global mean. To reach this conclusion we quantified the offshore transport of particulate and dissolved carbon fractions via the “Ekman Drain”, a strong downwelling feature of the NW European Shelf circulation, and subsequently compared these fluxes to simultaneous regional air-sea CO2 fluxes and on-shore wind-driven Ekman fluxes to constrain the carbon dynamics of this shelf. Along the shelf break we estimate a mean offshelf total carbon (dissolved?+?particulate) flux of 4.2 tonnes C m?1 d?1 compared to an onshelf flux of 4.5 tonnes C m?1 d?1. Organic carbon represented 3.3% of the onshelf carbon flux but 6.4% of the offshelf flux indicating net organic carbon export. Dissolved organic carbon represented 95% and POC 5% of the exported organic carbon pool. When scaled along the shelf break the total offshelf POC flux (0.007 Tg C d?1) was found to be three times larger than the regional air-sea CO2 ingassing flux (0.0021 Tg C d?1), an order of magnitude larger than the particulate inorganic carbon flux (0.0003 Tg C d?1) but far smaller than the DIC (2.03 Tg C d?1) or DOC (0.13 Tg C d?1) fluxes. Significant spatial heterogeneity in the Ekman drain transport confirms that offshelf carbon fluxes via this mechanism are also spatially heterogeneous. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Phytoplankton Distribution in Relation to Environmental Drivers on the North West European Shelf Sea

The edge of the North West European Shelf (NWES) is characterised by a steep continental slope and a northward flowing slope current. These topographic/hydrographic features separate oceanic water and shelf water masses hence potentially separate phytoplankton communities. The slope current may facilitate the advective transport of phytoplankton, with mixing at the shelf edge supporting nutrient supply and therefore phytoplankton production. On the west Scottish shelf in particular, little is known about the phytoplankton communities in and around the shelf break and adjacent waters. Hence, to improve our understanding of environmental drivers of phytoplankton communities, biological and environmental data were collected on seven cross-shelf transects across the Malin and Hebridean Shelves during autumn 2014. Density profiles indicated that shelf break and oceanic stations had a 100 m deep mixed surface layer while stations on the shelf were generally well mixed. Analysis of similarity and multidimensional scaling of phytoplankton counts revealed that phytoplankton communities on the shelf were significantly different to those found at the shelf break and at oceanic stations. Shelf stations were dominated by dinoflagellates, with diatoms contributing a maximum of 37% of cells. Shelf break and oceanic stations were also dinoflagellate dominated but displayed a lower species diversity. Significant difference between shelf and shelf break stations suggested that the continental slope limited cross shelf phytoplankton exchange. Northern and southern phytoplankton communities on the shelf were approximately 15% dissimilar while there was no latitudinal gradient for stations along the slope current, suggesting this current provided south to north connectivity. Fitting environmental data to phytoplankton ordination showed a significant relationship between phytoplankton community dissimilarities and nutrient concentrations and light availability on the shelf compared to shelf break and oceanic stations in the study area.