Attenuation of sinking particulate organic carbon flux through the mesopelagic ocean
Open accessAbstract
Significance: A key factor regulating the air−sea balance of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is the sinking of particles containing organic carbon from the surface to the deep ocean. The depth at which this carbon is released back into the water (remineralization) has a strong influence on atmospheric CO 2 concentration. Here we show a significant relationship between the remineralization depth of sinking organic carbon flux in the upper ocean and water temperature, with shallower remineralization in warmer waters. Our results contrast with data from deep-sea sediment traps, highlighting the importance of upper ocean remineralization to our understanding of the ocean’s biological carbon pump. Our results suggest that predicted future increases in ocean temperature will result in reduced CO 2 storage by the oceans.
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Using empirical relationships describing the transfer of carbon to the ocean interior and derived from the contemporary ocean to estimate biological pump sensitivity to future temperature increases indicates a similar weakening of the pump in the upper ocean.
“Using empirical relationships (90, 91) describing the transfer of carbon to the ocean interior and derived from the contemporary ocean to estimate biological pump sensitivity to future temperature increases indicates a similar weakening of the pump in the upper ocean (Table 2 and the Supplementary Materials).”
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- Authors
- Marsay, C. M., Sanders, R. J., Henson, S. A., Pabortsava, K., Achterberg, E. P., & Lampitt, R. S.
- Affiliations
- National Oceanography Centre (GB)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2015-01-05
- Volume
- 112
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1089-1094
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC4313834
- OpenAlex
- W2111079990
- Cited by
- 358
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 34 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 49 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 11
- FWCI
- 19.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- NERC Open Research Archive (Natural Environment Research Council) (acceptedVersion)
- Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Natural Environment Research Council (NE/E006833/1)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Keywords
- biological carbon pump, particulate organic carbon flux, mesopelagic zone, seawater temperature, labile organic matter, recalcitrant organic matter, transfer efficiency, ocean carbon storage, North Atlantic, North Pacific
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