Search

In the Arctic Ocean (AO), net community production (NCP $NCP$) has displayed spatially heterogeneous responses to sea ice reduction and associated environmental changes. Using a random forest machine learning model trained with >42,000 in situ measurements and concurrent, collocated environmental predictors, we reconstructed 19 years of 8‐day, 6‐km NCP $NCP$ maps. During 2015–2021, the integrated NCP $NCP$ between late‐May and early‐September (NCPint ${}_{\mathit{int}}NCP$) over the western AO was 10.95±3.30TgC $10.95\pm 3.30\,\text{Tg}\,\mathrm{C}$ per year, with interannual variations positively tracking open water area. While the relationship between NCPint ${}_{\mathit{int}}NCP$ and open water area was quasi‐linear at high latitudes, strong nonlinearity was detected on the inflow shelf. The nonlinearity highlights that the NCPint ${}_{\mathit{int}}NCP$ increase resulted from area gain could be compounded by sea‐ice loss induced ecosystem adjustments. Additional retrospective analysis for 2003–2014 suggests a potential long‐term increase of export production and efficiency in the western AO with sea ice loss. Plain Language Summary: Net community production (NCP $NCP$) refers to the portion of phytoplankton production that remains unused by consumers and can be exported to the deeper part of the ocean. In the western Arctic Ocean (AO), NCP $NCP$ patterns are uneven due to complex interactions between the physical environment and the ecosystem. In this study, we developed a machine learning model of NCP $NCP$ in the western AO. The model used publicly available underway measurements and the associated environmental variables to create long‐term, high‐resolution maps of NCP $NCP$. For the period of 2015–2021, we found that the integrated NCP $NCP$ between late‐May and early‐September (NCPint ${}_{\mathit{int}}NCP$) was 10.95±3.30TgC $10.95\pm 3.30\,\text{Tg}\,\mathrm{C}$ per year in the western AO. NCPint ${}_{\mathit{int}}NCP$ varied from year to year and was higher when the open water area was larger. Notably, on the inflow shelf, NCPint ${}_{\mathit{int}}NCP$ increased at a faster rate than a linear relationship would suggest, due to both area expansion and ecosystem adjustments induced by sea ice loss. Our findings indicate that with long‐term sea ice loss, the western AO is likely to export more phytoplankton production to deeper ocean waters. Key Points: A multiyear, gap‐free net community production (NCP $NCP$) product was constructed using a machine learning model for the western Arctic OceanSeasonally and regionally integrated NCP $NCP$ responded to sea ice loss quasi‐linearly at high latitudes but nonlinearly on the inflow shelfCompared with the 2010s, carbon export production has increased in recent years, accompanying sea ice loss in the western Arctic Ocean [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on county-level foreign trade archival documents, this article explores export production in the rural Pearl River delta during the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on the relationship between local foreign trade agencies and grassroots collectives in three counties. The study contends that, instead of the state having complete control of the entire production and procurement process, rural export production in the Pearl River delta demonstrates remarkable diversity and responsiveness to fluctuating overseas market conditions, whose adaptability, however, was significantly constrained by the grain-first policy during the Maoist era. This research further posits that the interplay between control and autonomy mechanisms shaped the institutional context in which rational, calculating Chinese peasants navigated the Maoist state. Notably, the state was not a monolithic entity, and its boundaries with the peasants were permeable and dynamic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Export production, which is defined as the export of organic matter fixed by photosynthesis, is crucial for sustaining oceanic carbon uptake. The export route in the open ocean is the sinking of biogenic particles through the bottom of the euphotic layer. In contrast, the export routes in the shelf seas are the sinking of biogenic particles to the sediment and the horizontal transport of biogenic particles across the boundary of the shelf seas to the open ocean. The biogenic particles in the shelf seas are supported bymultisource nutrients including riverine and oceanic ones. Their exports depend on the hydrodynamic conditions and biogeochemical processes responsible for different sources of nutrients. Here, a unique physical-biological coupled model with a tracking approach is applied to evaluate the export production supported by multisource dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) over the East China Sea. The total export production is 6.83 kmol N s-1 (=17.16 Tg C yr-1), which is slightly lower than the reported atmospheric CO2 absorption. Approximately 80% of particulate organic nitrogen (PON) is exported via off-shelf transport, and the remaining 20% is buried in the sediment. The PON supported by DIN from rivers accounts for 8% of export production, with an e-ratio (export production/primary production) of 0.09. In comparison, that from the Kuroshio accounts for 64%, with an e-ratio of 0.22. This suggests that offshore areas here are more efficient in exporting local production than nearshore ones, largely supported by oceanic nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subtropical gyres cover 26%–29% of the world's surface ocean and are conventionally regarded as ocean deserts due to their permanent stratification, depleted surface nutrients, and low biological productivity. Despite tremendous advances over the past three decades, particularly through the Hawaii Ocean Time‐series and the Bermuda Atlantic Time‐series Study, which have revolutionized our understanding of the biogeochemistry in oligotrophic marine ecosystems, the gyres remain understudied. We review current understanding of upper ocean biogeochemistry in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, considering other subtropical gyres for comparison. We focus our synthesis on spatial variability, which shows larger than expected dynamic ranges of properties such as nutrient concentrations, rates of N2 fixation, and biological production. This review provides new insights into how nutrient sources drive community structure and export in upper subtropical gyres. We examine the euphotic zone (EZ) in subtropical gyres as a two‐layered vertically structured system: a nutrient‐depleted layer above the top of the nutricline in the well‐lit upper ocean and a nutrient‐replete layer below in the dimly lit waters. These layers vary in nutrient supply and stoichiometries and physical forcing, promoting differences in community structure and food webs, with direct impacts on the magnitude and composition of export production. We evaluate long‐term variations in key biogeochemical parameters in both of these EZ layers. Finally, we identify major knowledge gaps and research challenges in these vast and unique systems that offer opportunities for future studies. Plain Language Summary: Vast subtropical oceans feature basin‐wide anticyclonic gyres, which restrict vertical supplies of nutrients, resulting in low surface nutrient concentrations and generally low rates of biological production. The subtropical gyres have therefore traditionally been regarded as ocean deserts. Through a comprehensive data re‐analysis focusing on the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, we find larger than expected spatiotemporal variability in biogeochemical properties in subtropical gyres, including the distribution of nutrients, N2 fixation, and biological production. Such variations are most pronounced through the sunlit water column (euphotic zone [EZ]), including sharp gradients in nutrient concentrations and sources and microbial community structure. Based on analysis and synthesis conducted in this study, we show evidence for the functioning of a two‐layer EZ habitat, with each layer differentiated primarily by inputs of sunlight and nutrients. Our understanding of long‐term biogeochemical variability is relatively restricted, owing to a lack of reliable long‐term observations at adequate spatial scales. We therefore urge the development and use of higher temporal and spatial resolution sampling strategies, for example, through the use of autonomous sampling platforms, that will allow for a greater understanding of biogeochemical processes and facilitate improvements in numerical modeling capabilities. Key Points: Subtropical gyres display larger spatiotemporal dynamics in biogeochemical properties than previously consideredAn improved two‐layer framework is proposed for the study of nutrient‐driven and biologically mediated carbon export in the euphotic zoneFuture research will benefit from high‐resolution samplings, improved sensitivity of nutrient analyses, and advanced modeling capabilities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinking particles transport organic carbon produced in the surface ocean to the ocean interior, leading to net storage of atmospheric CO2 in the deep ocean. The rapid growth of in situ imaging technology has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of particle flux attenuation in the ocean; however, estimating particle flux from particle size and abundance (measured directly by in situ cameras) is challenging. Sinking rates are dependent on several factors, including particle excess density and porosity, which vary based on particle origin and type. Additionally, particle characteristics are transformed while sinking. We compare optically measured particle size spectra profiles (Underwater Vision Profiler 5, UVP) with contemporaneous measurements of particle flux made using sediment traps and 234Th:238U disequilibrium on six process cruises from the California Current Ecosystem (CCE) LTER Program. These measurements allow us to assess the efficacy of size-flux relationships for estimating fluxes from optical particle size measurements. We find that previously published parameterizations that estimate carbon flux from UVP profiles are a poor fit to direct flux measurements in the CCE. This discrepancy is found to result primarily from the important role of fecal pellets in particle flux. These pellets are primarily in a size range (i.e., 100–400 μm) that is not well-resolved as images by the UVP due to the resolution of the sensor. We develop new, CCE-optimized parameters for use in an algorithm estimating carbon flux from UVP data in the southern California Current (Flux = (Formula presented.)), with A = 15.4, B = 1.05, d = particle diameter (mm) and Flux in units of mg C m–2 d–1. We caution, however, that increased accuracy in flux estimates derived from optical instruments will require devices with greater resolution, the ability to differentiate fecal pellets from low porosity marine snow aggregates, and improved sampling of rapidly sinking fecal pellets. We also find that the particle size-flux relationships may be different within the euphotic zone than in the shallow twilight zone and hypothesize that the changing nature of sinking particles with depth must be considered when investigating the remineralization length scale of sinking particles in the ocean.

We used extensive ecological and biogeochemical measurements obtained from quasi-Lagrangian experiments during two California Current Ecosystem Long-Term Ecosystem Research cruises to analyze carbon fluxes between the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones using a linear inverse ecosystem model (LIEM). Measurement constraints on the model include 14C primary productivity, dilution-based microzooplankton grazing rates, gut pigment-based mesozooplankton grazing rates (on multiple zooplankton size classes), 234Th:238U disequilibrium and sediment trap measured carbon export, and metabolic requirements of micronekton, zooplankton, and bacteria. A likelihood approach (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) was used to estimate the resulting flow uncertainties from a sample of potential flux networks. Results highlight the importance of mesozooplankton active transport (i.e., diel vertical migration) in supplying the carbon demand of mesopelagic organisms and sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In nine water parcels ranging from a coastal bloom to offshore oligotrophic conditions, mesozooplankton active transport accounted for 18–84% (median: 42%) of the total carbon transfer to the mesopelagic, with gravitational settling of POC (12–55%; median: 37%), and subduction (2–32%; median: 14%) providing the majority of the remainder. Vertically migrating zooplankton contributed to downward carbon flux through respiration and excretion at depth and via mortality losses to predatory zooplankton and mesopelagic fish (e.g., myctophids and gonostomatids). Sensitivity analyses showed that the results of the LIEM were robust to changes in nekton metabolic demand, rates of bacterial production, and mesozooplankton gross growth efficiency. This analysis suggests that prior estimates of zooplankton active transport based on conservative estimates of standard (rather than active) metabolism are likely too low.

The object of this research is transport provision of supplies using sea transport. The problem of increasing the efficiency of transportation of bulk cargo by bulk carriers or universal destination by optimizing the option and parameters of transport equipment is considered. For categories of goods that are exported using sea transport, it is possible to use not only different options for transport equipment – own or leased (for vessels – time charter), but also different options from the point of view of the parameters of the vehicles. In this paper, the parameters are understood as the characteristics of sea vessels, on which the main economic indicators depend – deadweight, which reflects the size of the vessel and its carrying capacity for bulk carriers; as well as the age of the courts, which determines the cost of their rent and the level of operational costs. The result of the research is an optimization model that allows to determine for each market a variant of transport equipment and its parameters. Model not only distributes deliveries according to transport options, but also determines which vessels of what size and age (for time charter) should carry out transportation. These results are focused on the exporter’s decision-making process about sales markets in combination with decisions on transport provision before concluding contracts. Varying the size and age of the vessels makes it possible to consider a wider range of options from the point of view of parameters. The practical use of the model allows the exporter at the stage of preparation (before the conclusion of contracts) depending on the volume of supplies and the market situation, including the freight one, to make decisions about options for transport support, which is taken into account when formulating transport conditions of contracts. Integral consideration of commercial (volumes of deliveries, transport terms of contracts), economic (price levels, freight rates, costs) and technological (size of vessels and their age) factors within the framework of the model allows taking into account the multifaceted nature of the problem of transport provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial upwelling (AU) and ocean iron fertilization (OIF) both have been proposed as marine carbon dioxide removal methods to enhance ocean carbon uptake by stimulating the biological carbon pump. We simulate global and regional AU and OIF individually and the combination of both methods between the years 2025 and 2100 in ocean-atmosphere model experiments under the moderate RCP 4.5 CO _2 -emission pathway and show that the combination of globally applied AU + OIF yields the greatest ocean carbon uptake potential of +103 Pg C until year 2100. Regional OIF simulated by itself poleward of 45° North and South is responsible for +86.9 Pg C additional ocean carbon uptake. AU-only experiments do not significantly enhance ocean carbon uptake due to the lack of iron in the upwelled waters. We find no consistent relationship between enhanced cumulative export production and changes in the ocean carbon inventory attributable to the biological carbon pump, which makes export production a poor indicator for additional ocean carbon uptake. We identified a strong decrease in the global ocean nitrate inventory (−567 Tmol N) until year 2100 as a consequence of globally applied AU + OIF due to an interrupted balance between N _2 -fixation and denitrification.

We used extensive ecological and biogeochemical measurements obtained from quasi-Lagrangian experiments during two California Current Ecosystem Long-Term Ecosystem Research cruises to analyze carbon fluxes between the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones using a linear inverse ecosystem model (LIEM). Measurement constraints on the model include 14C primary productivity, dilution-based microzooplankton grazing rates, gut pigment-based mesozooplankton grazing rates (on multiple zooplankton size classes), 234Th:238U disequilibrium and sediment trap measured carbon export, and metabolic requirements of micronekton, zooplankton, and bacteria. A likelihood approach (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) was used to estimate the resulting flow uncertainties from a sample of potential flux networks. Results highlight the importance of mesozooplankton active transport (i.e., diel vertical migration) in supplying the carbon demand of mesopelagic organisms and sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In nine water parcels ranging from a coastal bloom to offshore oligotrophic conditions, mesozooplankton active transport accounted for 18–84% (median: 42%) of the total carbon transfer to the mesopelagic, with gravitational settling of POC (12–55%; median: 37%), and subduction (2–32%; median: 14%) providing the majority of the remainder. Vertically migrating zooplankton contributed to downward carbon flux through respiration and excretion at depth and via mortality losses to predatory zooplankton and mesopelagic fish (e.g., myctophids and gonostomatids). Sensitivity analyses showed that the results of the LIEM were robust to changes in nekton metabolic demand, rates of bacterial production, and mesozooplankton gross growth efficiency. This analysis suggests that prior estimates of zooplankton active transport based on conservative estimates of standard (rather than active) metabolism are likely too low.

Sinking particles transport organic carbon produced in the surface ocean to the ocean interior, leading to net storage of atmospheric CO2 in the deep ocean. The rapid growth of in situ imaging technology has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of particle flux attenuation in the ocean; however, estimating particle flux from particle size and abundance (measured directly by in situ cameras) is challenging. Sinking rates are dependent on several factors, including particle excess density and porosity, which vary based on particle origin and type. Additionally, particle characteristics are transformed while sinking. We compare optically measured particle size spectra profiles (Underwater Vision Profiler 5, UVP) with contemporaneous measurements of particle flux made using sediment traps and 234Th:238U disequilibrium on six process cruises from the California Current Ecosystem (CCE) LTER Program. These measurements allow us to assess the efficacy of size-flux relationships for estimating fluxes from optical particle size measurements. We find that previously published parameterizations that estimate carbon flux from UVP profiles are a poor fit to direct flux measurements in the CCE. This discrepancy is found to result primarily from the important role of fecal pellets in particle flux. These pellets are primarily in a size range (i.e., 100–400 μm) that is not well-resolved as images by the UVP due to the resolution of the sensor. We develop new, CCE-optimized parameters for use in an algorithm estimating carbon flux from UVP data in the southern California Current (Flux = (Formula presented.)), with A = 15.4, B = 1.05, d = particle diameter (mm) and Flux in units of mg C m–2 d–1. We caution, however, that increased accuracy in flux estimates derived from optical instruments will require devices with greater resolution, the ability to differentiate fecal pellets from low porosity marine snow aggregates, and improved sampling of rapidly sinking fecal pellets. We also find that the particle size-flux relationships may be different within the euphotic zone than in the shallow twilight zone and hypothesize that the changing nature of sinking particles with depth must be considered when investigating the remineralization length scale of sinking particles in the ocean.

Vertical profiles of 228Ra (half-life: 5.75 years) in the ocean provide valuable information on water mixing and ages of the upper ocean. However, its application is hampered by extremely low levels of 228Ra in the deep ocean. In this study, we measured high-resolution 228Ra/226Ra ratio profiles (>21 depths) in the East Sea (Japan Sea) by mooring Mn-fiber. Using the measured 228Ra profile from 228Ra/226Ra ratios and 226Ra activities, together with other previously published data, we estimated the vertical eddy diffusivity (8.7–9.6 cm2 s-1) in the permanent thermocline and water ages (10–15 years) in the upper 500–1000 m range. The estimated decomposition rate of organic carbon based on oxygen utilization rates using Ra-ages between 100 and 1000 m was 4.4 ± 0.8 mol C m-2 yr-1. Our results show that ~50% of the upward nutrients through 100 m support export production, and that dissolved organic carbon accounts for ~20% of carbon export. This 228Ra approach provides a holistic understanding of carbon and nutrient cycles in the ocean.

The Southern Ocean is supposed to play a crucial role in influencing atmospheric CO2 concentrations. However, the dynamic relationships among the rate of Southern Ocean upwelling, atmospheric CO2 concentration, and Antarctic climate at millennial timescales remain unclear. Here, we present high‐resolution color reflectance component b* and natural gamma radiation from the southern Scotia Sea sector of the Southern Ocean to reconstruct productivity over the past 160 ka. We find that these two independent productivity proxies, reflecting the signal of nutrient supply in this region, captured millennial‐scale upwelling that covaried in timing with Heinrich Stadials and Antarctic warming events, supporting the bipolar seesaw mechanism. The one‐to‐one coupling of variability between productivity and atmospheric CO2 concentrations reveals that the upwelling is closely linked to atmospheric CO2 and climate change. Plain Language Summary: The Southern Ocean's physical and associated biogeochemical processes play important roles in influencing atmospheric CO2 and climate change. In this study, we investigate temporal changes in productivity in the Antarctic Zone of the Southern Ocean by color reflectance component b* and natural gamma radiation data over the past 160 ka. We find that millennial‐scale productivity variability, which reflects the rate of upwelling in this region, corresponds to millennial‐scale variations in Antarctic temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration over the past 160 ka. These tight couplings could imply that Southern Ocean upwelling is involved in atmospheric CO2 fluctuation and climate change. Key Points: Change in productivity at Site U1537 reflects the degree of upwelling in the Antarctic Zone of the Southern OceanThe millennial‐scale productivity peaks correspond to the Antarctic Isotope Maximum events that coincided with the Heinrich Stadials or Dansgaard‐Oeschger events in GreenlandThe rate of upwelling and atmospheric CO2 concentrations are positively correlated during the Heinrich Stadials [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scallop culture is conducted worldwide, nonfeeding and depending on the natural phytoplankton production for the diet. It is necessary for sustainable culture of this species to understand how the phytoplankton production and subsequent vertical transport to the bottom (export production) are regulated by environmental factors. A 3‐year time series monitoring of chlorophyll and temperature, as well as sinking particle flux, was conducted to elucidate the relationship between surface primary production, the subsequent export, and the growth of benthic cultured scallops in spring in the coastal region of the Okhotsk Sea along Hokkaido, Japan. Five times larger export fluxes were observed in 2013 than those in other years. Coscinodiscus spp., diameter >200 μm, was the quantitatively dominant phytoplankton in 2013. This species contributed to the high export flux due to a higher settling velocity. The sudden drops in temperature by >2°C were observed during the study period. These indicated that the supply of nutrients from Intermediate Cold Water (ICW), a cold and nutrients rich water mass, accelerated the primary productivity in this area. This intensity was strongest in 2013, contributing to the high export flux. The large export flux in 2013 provided a more sufficient food to the benthic cultured scallops, resulting in a two times higher growth of the scallops than in other years. This study demonstrated that the size of the dominant diatom species and the supply from ICW strongly influenced the export ratio and the growth of cultured scallops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low concentrations of iron, an important micronutrient for photosynthetic organisms, limit growth in large parts of the ocean. The solubility and availability of iron is to a large degree determined by organic iron-binding molecules, so-called ligands. While ligands come from a variety of sources, many of them are produced in autotrophic or heterotrophic production in the ocean, leading to the possibility of feedbacks between marine primary production and iron availability. The diversity of ligands, reaching from siderophores, small molecules involved in bacterial iron uptake, to breakdown products and long-lived macromolecules like humic substances, means that feedbacks could be both negative and positive or there may even be no feedback at all. Here we investigate first, how the cycling of this ligand pool can be described simplistically in a model such that it reproduces the observed global distribution of dissolved iron and phosphorus as closely as possible. We show that inclusion of a ligand similar to refractory dissolved organic carbon leads to an improved agreement to observations in our model. Inclusion of a second, shorter-lived siderophore-like ligand does not strongly affect this agreement. In a second step we then study how feedbacks affect how iron distribution and oceanic productivity react to changes in external supply of iron. We show that, to be consistent with present-day iron distribution, the dominant feedback is positive, increasing the sensitivity of global biological productivity and hence carbon cycling to changes in iron supply. The strength of the feedback increases with increasing ligand life-time. The negative feedback associated with siderophore-like ligands has the potential to mitigate the positive feedback, especially at the surface and for global export production, but more research on the production and decay of siderophores is needed for a better quantification. Ocean biogeochemical models that assume a constant ligand concentration and hence neglect possible feedbacks may therefore underestimate the reaction of the global carbon cycle to the strong increase in dust deposition under future or glacial climate conditions.

The eastern North Pacific subtropical gyre (NPSG) contributes significantly to global primary production (PP) and export production (EP). In this study, we have investigated the impact of the North Pacific gyre oscillation (NPGO) mode on the temporal changes in the relationship between PP and EP in the eastern NPSG, using long-term time series of oceanographic observations at Station ALOHA. The positive NPGO phases (N2+: 1998–2004, N4+: 2007–2013), exhibiting a deeper mixed layer depth (MLD), coincided with high PP. Moreover, the N2+ phase showed high EP, associated with an increase in the nano-sized phytoplankton group, and inorganic and organic nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios. However, multiple physical and biogeochemical factors, such as thermocline depression, increase in pico-sized phytoplankton groups, smallest-sized mesozooplankton, and heterotrophic bacteria, have induced low EP during the N4+ phase, despite deep MLD and increased PP conditions. Enhanced stratification under prolonged warming indicates that the surface eastern NPSG may experience a permanent shift toward small cells.

The distribution and vertical fluxes of particulate organic carbon and other key elements in the Arctic Ocean are primarily governed by the spatial and seasonal changes in primary productivity, areal extent of ice cover, and lateral exchange between the shelves and interior basins. The Arctic Ocean has undergone rapid increase in primary productivity and drastic decrease in the areal extent of seasonal sea ice in the last two decades. These changes can greatly influence the biological pump as well as associated carbon export and key element fluxes. Here, we report the export of particulate organic and inorganic carbon, particulate nitrogen and biogenic silica using 210Po and 210Pb as tracers for the seasonal vertical fluxes. Samples were collected as a part of US GEOTRACES Arctic transect from western Arctic Basin in 2015. The total activities of 210Po and 210Pb in the upper 300 m water column ranged from 0.46 to 16.6 dpm 100L–1 and 1.17 to 32.5 dpm 100L–1, respectively. The 210Pb and 210Po fluxes varied between 5.04–6.20 dpm m–2 d–1 and 8.26–21.02 dpm m–2 d–1, respectively. The corresponding particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate nitrogen (PN) fluxes ranged between 0.75–7.43 mg C m–2 d–1 and 0.08–0.78 mg N m–2 d–1, respectively, with highest fluxes observed in the northern ice-covered stations. The particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) and biogenic silica (bSi) fluxes were extremely low ranging from 0 to 0.14 mg C m–2 d–1 and 0.14 to 2.88 mg Si m–2 d–1, respectively, at all stations suggesting absence of ballast elements in facilitating the biological pump. The variability in POC fluxes with depth suggest prominent influence of lateral transport to downward fluxes across the region. The results provide a better understanding of the spatial variability in the vertical fluxes POC, PN, bSi, and PIC in the western Arctic which is currently undergoing dramatic changes.

Planktic foraminifera and shelled pteropods are some of the major producers of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the ocean. Their calcitic (foraminifera) and aragonitic (pteropods) shells are particularly sensitive to changes in the carbonate chemistry and play an important role for the inorganic and organic carbon pump of the ocean. Here, we have studied the abundance distribution of planktic foraminifera and pteropods (individuals m–3) and their contribution to the inorganic and organic carbon standing stocks (μg m–3) and export production (mg m–2 day–1) along a longitudinal transect north of Svalbard at 81° N, 22–32° E, in the Arctic Ocean. This transect, sampled in September 2018 consists of seven stations covering different oceanographic regimes, from the shelf to the slope and into the deep Nansen Basin. The sea surface temperature ranged between 1 and 5°C in the upper 300 m. Conditions were supersaturated with respect to CaCO3 (Ω > 1 for both calcite and aragonite). The abundance of planktic foraminifera ranged from 2.3 to 52.6 ind m–3 and pteropods from 0.1 to 21.3 ind m–3. The planktic foraminiferal population was composed mainly of the polar species Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (55.9%) and the subpolar species Turborotalita quinqueloba (21.7%), Neogloboquadrina incompta (13.5%) and Globigerina bulloides (5.2%). The pteropod population was dominated by the polar species Limacina helicina (99.6%). The rather high abundance of subpolar foraminiferal species is likely connected to the West Spitsbergen Current bringing warm Atlantic water to the study area. Pteropods dominated at the surface and subsurface. Below 100 m water depth, foraminifera predominated. Pteropods contribute 66–96% to the inorganic carbon standing stocks compared to 4–34% by the planktic foraminifera. The inorganic export production of planktic foraminifera and pteropods together exceeds their organic contribution by a factor of 3. The overall predominance of pteropods over foraminifera in this high Arctic region during the sampling period suggest that inorganic standing stocks and export production of biogenic carbonate would be reduced under the effects of ocean acidification.

Here we analyze the impact of projected climate change on plankton ecology in all major ocean biomes over the 21st century, using a multidecade (1880–2090) experiment conducted with the Community Climate System Model (CCSM-3.1) coupled ocean-atmosphere-land-sea ice model. The climate response differs fundamentally in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres for diatom and small phytoplankton biomass and consequently for total biomass, primary, and export production. Increasing vertical stratification in the Northern Hemisphere oceans decreases the nutrient supply to the ocean surface. Resulting decreases in diatom and small phytoplankton biomass together with a relative shift from diatoms to small phytoplankton in the Northern Hemisphere result in decreases in the total primary and export production and export ratio, and a shift to a more oligotrophic, more efficiently recycled, lower biomass euphotic layer. By contrast, temperature and stratification increases are smaller in the Southern compared to the Northern Hemisphere. Additionally, a southward shift and increase in strength of the Southern Ocean westerlies act against increasing temperature and freshwater fluxes to destratify the water-column. The wind-driven, poleward shift in the Southern Ocean subpolar-subtropical boundary results in a poleward shift and increase in the frontal diatom bloom. This boundary shift, localized increases in iron supply, and the direct impact of warming temperatures on phytoplankton growth result in diatom increases in the Southern Hemisphere. An increase in diatoms and decrease in small phytoplankton partly compensate such that while total production and the efficiency of organic matter export to the deep ocean increase, total Southern Hemisphere biomass does not change substantially. The impact of ecological shifts on the global carbon cycle is complex and varies across ecological biomes, with Northern and Southern Hemisphere effects on the biological production and export partially compensating. The net result of climate change is a small Northern Hemisphere-driven decrease in total primary production and efficiency of organic matter export to the deep ocean.

Mesozooplankton can directly impact global biogeochemical cycles by repackaging particulate organic carbon (POC) into dense, rapidly sinking fecal pellets and by undertaking vertical migrations that transport carbon and nutrients to depth. We assessed these contributions of mesozooplankton to vertical flux in the California Current Ecosystem, a productive but spatiotemporally variable coastal upwelling system, during cruises in April 2007 and October 2008. Sediment traps and Thorium-234 (234Th) disequilibrium measurements were used to assess the total passive flux of sinking POC, while pigment analyses and microscopic enumeration of sediment trap samples provided estimates of total fecal carbon transport. Identification of mesozooplankton in paired day-night, vertically stratified plankton tows allowed calculation of the active transport of carbon by the dominant taxa of vertically migrating mesozooplankton (particularly copepods and euphausiids). Across the range of 9 ecosystem conditions encountered on the cruises, recognizable fecal pellet mass flux varied from 3.5 to 135 mg C m-2 d-1 (3 to 94% of total passive flux) at the 100 m depth horizon. The active transport of carbon by migratory mesozooplankton taxa contributed an additional 2.4 to 47.1 mg C m-2 d-1 (1.9 to 40.5% of total passive flux). Inter-cruise comparisons suggest that fecal pellets contributed a higher portion of passive export during the productive spring cruise, when fecal material may have been responsible for close to 100% of sinking material. During the fall cruise, a gradient was observed with carbon export in productive water parcels driven by a large contribution of fecal pellets. In the less productive regions, fall vertical fluxes contained a higher proportion of marine snow and unidentifiable particles. © 2013 The authors.

Future environmental change may profoundly affect oceanic ecosystems in a complex way, due to the synergy between rising temperatures, reduction in mixing and upwelling due to enhanced stratification, ocean acidification, and associated biogeochemical dynamics. Changes in primary productivity, in export of organic carbon from the surface ocean, and in remineralization deeper in the water column in the so‐called "twilight zone" may substantially alter the marine biological carbon pump, thus carbon storage in the oceans. We present different proxy records commonly used for reconstructing paleoproductivity, and re‐evaluate their use for understanding dynamic change within and between different constituents of the marine biological pump during transient global warming episodes in the past. Marine pelagic barite records are a proxy for carbon export from the photic and/or mesopelagic zone, and are not positively correlated with benthic foraminiferal proxies for arrival of organic matter to the seafloor over three early Eocene periods of global warming (Ocean Drilling Program Site 1263, SE Atlantic). These two proxies reflect processes in different parts of the water column, thus different components of the biological pump. An increase in temperature‐dependent organic carbon remineralization in the water column would have caused decreased arrival of food at the seafloor, starving the benthic biota and explaining the differences between the proxies, and may have led to ocean deoxygenation. Carbon cycle modeling demonstrates the feasibility of enhanced water‐column remineralization to explain both Site 1263 records, suggesting that this mechanism amplifies pCO2 increase, representing a positive feedback during hyperthermal warming. Plain Language Summary: A major challenge in understanding the response of the oceanic carbon cycle to ongoing global warming is predicting how much organic carbon is sequestered in the deep ocean waters, where it may remain for centuries, and in sediments, where it may be stored for millions of years. We present evidence from the deep‐sea sedimentary record of barite and benthic foraminifera over three transient Eocene extreme warm periods to show that more organic matter was remineralized within the water column during global warming (relative to background levels), thereby increasing the total oceanic reservoir of dissolved inorganic carbon, while decreasing carbon sequestration in sediments. Key Points: Remineralization is enhanced in twilight zone and organic matter arrival at seafloor reduced during Eocene warm periods in SE AtlanticIncrease in temperature‐dependent remineralization can explain lack of correlation between barite and benthic foraminiferal recordsCarbon cycle modeling confirms enhanced water‐column remineralization as a positive feedback to hyperthermal warming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal oxygen structure and utilization in the Sargasso Sea are characterized using nine profiling floats with oxygen 2021 sensors (years 2005–2008), deployed in an Eighteen Degree Water (EDW) experiment (CLIMODE). During autumn‐winter when the mixed layer is deepening, oxygen increases from the surface to the base of the EDW at 400 m. During spring‐summer, oxygen decreases except between the seasonal pycnocline and compensation depth, creating the seasonal shallow oxygen maximum layer (SOMax) with oxygen production of 0.04 μmol kg−1·day−1. In the underlying seasonal oxygen minimum (SOMin), the oxygen utilization rate (OUR) is 0.10 μmol kg−1·day−1, decreasing with depth to 0.04 μmol kg−1·day−1 in the EDW. Remineralization in May to August is double that of August to November. The Sargasso Sea is a net carbon producer; estimated annual export production from the top 100–250 m is 2.9 mol C m−2 and from the top 400 m is 4.2 mol C m−2. Below the EDW, oxygen decreases seasonally at the same time as in the EDW, indicating remineralization down to 700 m. However, on isopycnals in this deeper layer, oxygen increases during May to September, likely due to lateral advection from nonlocal surface outcrops. Summer shoaling of these isopycnals creates this paradox. The complex vertical oxygen structure in the upper 200 m enables important vertical diffusive flux that modifies the OUR calculated from oxygen change. Ignoring mixing underestimates maximum remineralization by 19% and underestimates maximum net production by 88%. However, vertical mixing is negligible in the deeper layers, so the associated total integrated remineralization error is 5%–9%. Key Points: Seasonal oxygen production and underlying remineralization yield export production of 2.9 mol C·m−2 (top 150–250 m)Net production and remineralization in top 150 m are underestimated by oxygen rate of change, due to vertical mixingSeasonally highest oxygen beneath the Eighteen Degree Water is delayed until summer, likely due to lateral advection from a remote source [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in marine net primary productivity (PP) and export of particulate organic carbon (EP) are projected over the 21st century with four global coupled carbon cycle-climate models. These include representations of marine ecosystems and the carbon cycle of different structure and complexity. All four models show a decrease in global mean PP and EP between 2 and 20% by 2100 relative to preindustrial conditions, for the SRES A2 emission scenario. Two different regimes for productivity changes are consistently identified in all models. The first chain of mechanisms is dominant in the low- and mid-latitude ocean and in the North Atlantic: reduced input of macro-nutrients into the euphotic zone related to enhanced stratification, reduced mixed layer depth, and slowed circulation causes a decrease in macro-nutrient concentrations and in PP and EP. The second regime is projected for parts of the Southern Ocean: an alleviation of light and/or temperature limitation leads to an increase in PP and EP as productivity is fueled by a sustained nutrient input. A region of disagreement among the models is the Arctic, where three models project an increase in PP while one model projects a decrease. Projected changes in seasonal and interannual variability are modest in most regions. Regional model skill metrics are proposed to generate multi-model mean fields that show an improved skill in representing observation-based estimates compared to a simple multi-model average. Model results are compared to recent productivity projections with three different algorithms, usually applied to infer net primary production from satellite observations.

This article sets out to illustrate the configuration of the global export network; that is, countries' respective importance in the trade network of export production. This network has become denser due to the international fragmentation of production. This article illustrates the configuration of total and manufacturing exports, according to their technological level and those that process natural resources. The most notable changes in the composition of the core network during the study period are the rise of China to a position of prominence; the growing importance of Korea; and the loss of importance of Japan, France, Great Britain, and Italy. On the other hand, the United States and Germany continue to maintain their presence as central players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a widely‐held conception, the biological carbon pump (BCP) is equal to the export of organic matter out of the euphotic zone. Using global ocean‐atmosphere model experiments we show that the change in export production is a poor measure of the biological pump's feedback to the atmosphere. The change in global true oxygen utilization (TOU), an integrative measure of the imprint of the BCP on marine oxygen, however, is in good agreement with the net change in the biogenic air‐sea flux of oxygen. Since TOU correlates very well with apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) in our experiments, we propose to measure the change of AOU from data of global float programs to monitor the feedback of the BCP to the atmosphere. For the current ocean we estimate that BCP changes effect a CO2 uptake by the ocean in the range of 0.07 to 0.14 GtC/yr. Plain Language Summary: The biological carbon pump is an important element of marine carbon cycling and climate control on millennium timescales. In a widely‐held conception the export of organic carbon from the productive surface layer of the ocean is used as the essential measure of this carbon pump. Using numerical ocean modeling, we show here that the change in export production is, however, a poor measure of the biological carbon pump's feedback to the atmosphere on centennial timescales. In the contrary, we find that an oxygen‐based measure, the apparent oxygen utilization can be used to quantify the impact of biological pump changes on the atmosphere. Since the apparent oxygen utilization is easily accessible from an existing network of marine floats, our study suggests that the atmospheric impact of any future changes of the biological carbon pump can be monitored and quantified. For past decades our study proposes a negligible CO2 feedback to climate from biological carbon processing. Key Points: Apparent oxygen utilization is proposed to quantify the feedback of the biological carbon pump to the atmosphere in a warming oceanChanges in export production are unrelated to changes in biotic oxygen air‐sea gas exchangeThe CO2‐flux due to changes of the biological carbon pump over the recent decades is negligible compared to the total marine CO2 uptake [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Pleistocene Transition (MPT, ~641–920 ka) represents a period of the Quaternary climate when, in the absence of substantial changes in orbital forcing, the climate progressively shifted to the 100 ka asymmetrical glacial–interglacial cyclicity characterizing the current climate. The causes of this change remain still uncertain but several lines of evidence suggested the carbon storage of the deep ocean played a relevant role. Here we evaluate the contribution of the eastern deep tropical Pacific to the global ocean carbon sequestration and storage between 760 and 1,040 ka. We present multi‐proxy records for export production and the redox environment at the seabed from Ocean Drilling Program Site 1242 located in the deep East Equatorial Pacific. Our data indicate the development of suboxic bottom waters during early marine isotopic stage (MIS) 23 and glacial MIS 22, suggesting the capture and storage of respired carbon. Redox‐sensitive elements suggest the progressive oxygenation of the deep ocean initiated at the end of the glacial MIS 22, continued across deglaciation and ended with the accomplishment of full interglacial MIS 21. We describe this pattern as a "less complete deglacial ventilation" in that it differs from the mid‐late Pleistocene Pacific deep ocean ventilation pattern which occurs during deglaciations. The ventilation of the deep Pacific Ocean extending beyond deglaciation might have contributed to a persistent deep ocean carbon sequestration, which might have resulted in lowered atmospheric CO2 values that could have influenced the internal response of the climate system contributing to the development of the 100 ka climate variability. Key Points: Storage of respired carbon in the east equatorial Pacific from interglacial MIS 23 to glacial MIS 22Ventilation of the deep sea and inferred atmospheric CO2 release extended from the end of glacial MIS 22 to full interglacial MIS 21 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinking particles transport organic carbon produced in the surface ocean to the ocean interior, leading to net storage of atmospheric CO2 in the deep ocean. The rapid growth of in situ imaging technology has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of particle flux attenuation in the ocean; however, estimating particle flux from particle size and abundance (measured directly by in situ cameras) is challenging. Sinking rates are dependent on several factors, including particle excess density and porosity, which vary based on particle origin and type. Additionally, particle characteristics are transformed while sinking. We compare optically measured particle size spectra profiles (Underwater Vision Profiler 5, UVP) with contemporaneous measurements of particle flux made using sediment traps and 234Th:238U disequilibrium on six process cruises from the California Current Ecosystem (CCE) LTER Program. These measurements allow us to assess the efficacy of size-flux relationships for estimating fluxes from optical particle size measurements. We find that previously published parameterizations that estimate carbon flux from UVP profiles are a poor fit to direct flux measurements in the CCE. This discrepancy is found to result primarily from the important role of fecal pellets in particle flux. These pellets are primarily in a size range (i.e., 100–400 μm) that is not well-resolved as images by the UVP due to the resolution of the sensor. We develop new, CCE-optimized parameters for use in an algorithm estimating carbon flux from UVP data in the southern California Current (Flux = ∑i=1xni⁢A⁢diB⁢Δ⁢di), with A = 15.4, B = 1.05, d = particle diameter (mm) and Flux in units of mg C m–2 d–1. We caution, however, that increased accuracy in flux estimates derived from optical instruments will require devices with greater resolution, the ability to differentiate fecal pellets from low porosity marine snow aggregates, and improved sampling of rapidly sinking fecal pellets. We also find that the particle size-flux relationships may be different within the euphotic zone than in the shallow twilight zone and hypothesize that the changing nature of sinking particles with depth must be considered when investigating the remineralization length scale of sinking particles in the ocean.

We used extensive ecological and biogeochemical measurements obtained from quasi-Lagrangian experiments during two California Current Ecosystem Long-Term Ecosystem Research cruises to analyze carbon fluxes between the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones using a linear inverse ecosystem model (LIEM). Measurement constraints on the model include 14C primary productivity, dilution-based microzooplankton grazing rates, gut pigment-based mesozooplankton grazing rates (on multiple zooplankton size classes), 234Th:238U disequilibrium and sediment trap measured carbon export, and metabolic requirements of micronekton, zooplankton, and bacteria. A likelihood approach (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) was used to estimate the resulting flow uncertainties from a sample of potential flux networks. Results highlight the importance of mesozooplankton active transport (i.e., diel vertical migration) in supplying the carbon demand of mesopelagic organisms and sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In nine water parcels ranging from a coastal bloom to offshore oligotrophic conditions, mesozooplankton active transport accounted for 18–84% (median: 42%) of the total carbon transfer to the mesopelagic, with gravitational settling of POC (12–55%; median: 37%), and subduction (2–32%; median: 14%) providing the majority of the remainder. Vertically migrating zooplankton contributed to downward carbon flux through respiration and excretion at depth and via mortality losses to predatory zooplankton and mesopelagic fish (e.g., myctophids and gonostomatids). Sensitivity analyses showed that the results of the LIEM were robust to changes in nekton metabolic demand, rates of bacterial production, and mesozooplankton gross growth efficiency. This analysis suggests that prior estimates of zooplankton active transport based on conservative estimates of standard (rather than active) metabolism are likely too low.

In the Southern Ocean, the silicon (Si) biogeochemical cycle is dominated by processes such as the supply of Si into the surface waters, Si uptake into diatom frustules, and their subsequent dissolution and export. Due to the incomplete assimilation of the silicic acid pool (DSi) and isotopic fractionation during silicification, the Si isotopic composition (δ30Si) of biogenic silica (BSi) is closely linked to the degree of Si utilization in the mixed layer (ML). In this study, we combined modelling approaches and seasonal sediment trap records of δ30Si of exported BSi to investigate the magnitude, timing, and isotopic composition of the flux of siliceous particles transferred from the surface to the deep ocean. We implemented a box model to describe the temporal evolution of DSi and BSi concentrations and δ30Si in the ML and at depth. The model allows us to quantify fluxes of Si in and out of the ML associated with export, dissolution, and mixing. It highlights that the time‐integrated δ30Si of exported BSi measured in the sediments reflects the extent of DSi consumption at the time when net BSi production and diatom accumulation are maximal in the ML and confirms that the δ30Si of diatoms is a reliable proxy for past Si utilization. Key Points: Box model describes properly seasonal variations of surface and water column processes affecting the isotopic composition of biogenic silicaMaximal rate of silicon uptake in the mixed layer is the most important process controlling the isotopic signatures of biogenic silicaThe Si isotope composition of settling particles records the silicic acid drawdown during the peak of the diatom bloom and not at the end of summer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed net primary production (NPP) and export production rates measured in the Southern Ocean (SO) and at Station ALOHA (22° 45′N, 158° 00′W) and discovered that in both cases there was a highly significant negative correlation between NPP and the ratio of export production to NPP (i.e., the export ratio). We show that in both cases this negative correlation can be explained by a time lag between the production and export of organic matter from the euphotic zone. The negative correlation appears (disappears) in simulated data if the estimates of the relationship between NPP and export production are based on measurements over timeframes that are comparable to or shorter (much longer) than the time lag between NPP and export production. At Station ALOHA, where data are available from a time series that extends back to 1988, the negative correlation disappears when the data are climatologies over monthly time intervals, which are long compared to the assumed lag of five days between the production and export of organic matter at low latitudes. We conclude that because of the temporal variability of NPP and the time lags between the production and export of organic matter, meaningful estimates of export ratios will need to be based on rates of NPP and export production averaged over timeframes that are long compared to the lag between production and export. • There is a negative correlation between the export ratio (ER) and primary production. • The correlation is apparent in both the Southern Ocean (SO) and at Station ALOHA. • A likely cause is variable production and time lags between production and export. • The negative correlation disappears when the data are monthly climatologies at ALOHA. • Moving average model with time lags and constant ER simulates SO and ALOHA results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The U/Th ratios in the sediments at Sites U1505 and U1438 were controlled by the redox conditions on the seafloor. • The seafloor redox conditions were attributed to the changes in the structure of the Pacific water mass driven by the middle Miocene cooling. • Increasing deepwater carbon storage in the Pacific Ocean contributed to the decline in atmospheric CO 2 during the middle Miocene. The climate transition during the middle Miocene promoted a series of environmental evolutions. However, the response of deep-sea redox conditions to this climate transition remains unclear. Here, we reconstruct the redox conditions in the subtropical Northwest Pacific during the Middle Miocene Climate Transition (MMCT) using the uranium and thorium data from drill cores at different water depths. Our findings indicate that the oxygenation level in the bathypelagic site (U1505) was weak at the early MMCT (14.6–14.1 Ma), elevated at the middle MMCT (14.1–13.3 Ma), and weak again at the late MMCT (13.3–12.8 Ma). In contrast, the oxygenation level in the abyssopelagic site (U1438) was strong in the early MMCT and weak in the middle and late MMCT. Combined with the changes in local productivity and ocean circulation, we argue that the varying oxygenation evolution trends at different water depths are probably related to the change in water mass structure driven by climate cooling from the early to the middle MMCT. However, local export production may be the main controlling factor during the late MMCT. Moreover, the decrease in deep-sea oxygenation across the MMCT also reflects the deepening of the respired carbon pool in the subtropical Northwest Pacific, which possibly contributed to the decline in atmospheric CO 2 at that time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical‐biological interaction within the upper ocean influences fixed organic carbon with various efficiencies leading to spatial and temporal change of carbon export in the ocean, which is important for global biogeochemical dynamics but is inadequately understood in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). Here the temporal variations of primary and export production are investigated using a 1‐D physical‐biogeochemical coupling model at a pelagic station of Xisha (XS) in the NSCS. At this station, the model reproduces the satellite sea surface observations, the depth‐integrated primary production, and the sinking flux of particulate organic carbon at 500 m from a moored sediment trap. By synthesizing these results, we investigate the long‐term dynamics of the biological pump with the focus on export production. We compared our results at XS with that at A Long‐Term Oligotrophic Habitat Assessment (ALOHA) in the North Pacific subtropical gyre. While the surface export at XS is greater than ALOHA, the stronger subsurface remineralization at XS has resulted in a similar week biological pump as ALOHA. The high surface export and subsurface flux attenuation at XS are caused by its physical dynamics that support a stronger upward nitrate flux than ALOHA. We also find a time lag of about 20 days between primary production and export production at XS, which has led to the large variability of export ratios in the subsurface layers. Further analyses suggest that the temporal variations of primary and export productions are largely driven by the change of turbulent mixing and Ekman pumping that control the vertical nutrient fluxes into the upper ocean. Plain Language Summary: Sinking flux of particles from the sea surface to the ocean interior is critical for ocean biogeochemical dynamics. Spatial and temporal variations of particle fluxes, driven by physical‐biological interaction in the ocean, can affect the efficiency of the biological pump and hence the ocean carbon cycle. The Xisha (XS) area, located between the northwestern shelf and the deep basin of the northern South China Sea, is relatively less studied compared to other regions of the northern South China Sea. Climate variability here could be controlled by the East Asian Monsoon on seasonal timescales and by the tropical Pacific El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on interannual timescales. However, the mechanisms driving the long‐term changes of sinking organic particles and their associated biogeochemical fluxes in the XS remain less addressed. This paper describes a model‐data synthesis study of the export production at a pelagic time series station of XS. We find a generally weak biological pump at the XS site with a high surface export and a high subsurface remineralization. Key Points: Despite a high surface export, a strong subsurface remineralization leads to a weak biological pump at XishaStronger particle flux attenuation in the twilight zone of Xisha than ALOHA is due to its physical dynamics supporting a higher vertical nitrate fluxTurbulent mixing and Ekman pumping drive the temporal change of primary and export production at Xisha [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite slow nutrient supply to the subtropical surface ocean, its rates of annual inorganic carbon drawdown and net oxygen production are similar to those of nutrient-rich high latitude waters. This surprisingly rapid carbon drawdown, if due to the production and export of marine biomass, cannot be explained in terms of known nutrient supply mechanisms. Moreover, carbon budgets have failed to detect the export of this organic matter. One possible explanation is the export of nutrient-poor organic matter with a composition that avoids detection as sinking particles. We describe three signs of the decomposition of such organic matter in the shallow Sargasso Sea subsurface. First, summertime oxygen consumption at 80–400 m occurs without the rate of nitrate and phosphate production expected from the remineralization of marine biomass, matching the observed summertime mixed layer inorganic carbon drawdown. Second, a seasonal change in the 18O/16O of subsurface nitrate suggests summertime heterotrophic bacterial nitrate assimilation down to ~400 m, as may be required for the remineralization of nutrient-poor organic matter. Third, incubation of subsurface seawater leads to nitrate drawdown and heterotrophic bacterial growth, supporting the thermocline nitrate 18O/16O evidence for heterotrophic nitrate assimilation. These three pieces of evidence suggest the export of nutrient-poor organic matter from the surface at a rate adequate to explain net community production in the Sargasso Sea. We propose that transparent exopolymer particles or related compounds, generated by a nutrient-limited upper ocean ecosystem, comprise this nutrient-poor export, and that its properties cause its flux out of the euphotic zone to be underestimated by sediment traps. Such nutrient-poor organic matter would contribute little to fisheries, deep ocean carbon dioxide storage, or organic carbon burial, so that it may change our view of the significance of net community production in the subtropical ocean. Highlights • Oxygen in the BATS subsurface is consumed without the rate of nutrient production expected from marine biomass decomposition • Subsurface nitrate 18O/16O suggests heterotrophic bacteria assimilate nitrate during low-nutrient organic matter breakdown • Export and remineralization of low-nutrient organic matter may explain the high rates of NCP in the subtropical ocean [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fraction of primary production exported out of the surface ocean, known as the export ratio (ef ratio), is often used to assess how various factors, including temperature, primary production, phytoplankton size, and community structure, affect the export efficiency of an ecosystem. To investigate possible causes for reported discrepancies in the dominant factors influencing the export efficiency, we develop a metabolism‐based mechanistic model of the ef ratio. Consistent with earlier studies, we find based on theoretical considerations that the ef ratio is a negative function of temperature. We show that the ef ratio depends on the optical depth, defined as the physical depth times the light attenuation coefficient. As a result, varying light attenuation may confound the interpretation of ef ratio when measured at a fixed depth (e.g., 100 m) or at the base of the mixed layer. Finally, we decompose the contribution of individual factors on the seasonality of the ef ratio. Our results show that at high latitudes, the ef ratio at the base of mixed layer is strongly influenced by mixed layer depth and surface irradiation on seasonal time scales. Future studies should report the ef ratio at the base of the euphotic layer or account for the effect of varying light attenuation if measured at a different depth. Overall, our modeling study highlights the large number of factors confounding the interpretation of field observations of the ef ratio. Key Points: Mechanistic models of the export ratio integrated over various depths are developed based on the metabolic balance between photosynthesis and respirationDiscrepancies between studies on the relationship between the export ratio and taxonomy, temperature, and productivity may be explained by a variety of factors, including the depths of integration, biomass, and surface light availabilitySeasonal variability in the export ratio in high latitudes is in great part controlled by mixed layer depth and photosynthetically active radiation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Productive eastern boundary upwelling systems such as the California Current Ecosystem (CCE) are important regions for supporting both local and remote food webs. Several studies have reported on the temporal and spatial variability of primary production and gravitational export in the CCE. However, few studies have quantified the partitioning of net primary and new production into other reservoirs of detrital organic matter. This study tested the hypothesis that nonsinking detrital reservoirs are an exportable reservoir of new production in the CCE with samples collected by the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigation survey between 2008 and 2010. Water column gradients in nitrate (NO3−) and total organic carbon (TOC; which excludes sinking particulate organic carbon) were used to estimate potential rates of new production (PNew) and TOC production (PTOC), respectively. The PTOC:PNew varied between 0.16 and 0.56 and often increased with indicators of enhanced autotrophic production. At times, surface stratification was also correlated with elevated PTOC:PNew. In the most productive, inshore region, PTOC exceeded previously reported sinking export rates, which identified TOC as a quantitatively significant repository of exportable carbon in the CCE. However the sum of PTOC and sinking export for these productive regions was less than both PNew and oxygen‐based estimates of net community production. These results imply that nonsinking reservoirs alone are not sufficient to explain observed imbalances between production and export for the most productive CCE regions. Plain Language Summary: The ocean's biological pump is typically quantified as the organic carbon that quickly sinks, that is, is "exported," out of the surface lighted zone to be subsequently sequestered in the deep ocean. Recent studies have shown that other forms of organic matter produced by phytoplankton can also contribute to carbon export. In this study, we quantified how much new production and net primary production was channeled into nonsinking reservoirs such as dissolved organic carbon and suspended particulate organic carbon in the productive eastern boundary California Current Ecosystem. To match the data coverage provided by our organic carbon measurements we used satellite data to calculate net primary production and used measured depth profiles of nitrate together with model‐derived upwelling velocities, to determine new production. We quantified the amount of nonsinking organic matter that accumulated in surface waters following production and found that the timescale of accumulation enabled this reservoir to participate in export. In some regions, as much carbon was present in the accumulated nonsinking reservoir as was quantified as sinking particulate carbon. We also found that lateral export from the productive coastal region was a potentially important pathway that could carry nutrients and carbon in organic matter to less productive waters. Key Points: Production in the California Current Ecosystem generates 5–30 micromoles per liter of total organic carbon primarily in the dissolved phaseNear the coast an average of 11 ± 3% of net primary production and 21 ± 4% of new production is partitioned into accumulating surface carbonSinking plus nonsinking organic carbon reservoirs balance net community production in all but the most productive regions of the California Current Ecosystem [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Often in scientific circles, mistrust regarding the reliability of competitiveness or other indices is expressed. The definite part of the economists think that it is not advisable to form any serious strategies based on these indices. This mistrust is probably caused by less awareness in these issues, especially because of the absence of tangible, confirmed ties between these indices and the real economic figures. We often witness only superficial talks about indices, focusing on the place of the particular index of the country in certain rankings, which causes its politicization and the discussion of the fundamental issues is not taken into account. In this publication we will try to concentrate on the indices focusing on country's competitiveness and trade support. Such a choice was determined by two important issues: the first is the direct connection of these indices with the competitiveness of the country's exports and the second - both of these indices are made by the World Economic Forum and hence certain unified methodological approaches exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate of primary productivity is a keystone variable in driving biogeochemical cycles today and has been throughout Earth's past. 1 For example, it plays a critical role in determining nutrient stoichiometry in the oceans, 2 the amount of global biomass, 3 and the composition of Earth's atmosphere. 4 Modern estimates suggest that terrestrial and marine realms contribute near-equal amounts to global gross primary productivity (GPP). 5 However, this productivity balance has shifted significantly in both recent times 6 and through deep time. 7,8 Combining the marine and terrestrial components, modern GPP fixes ≈250 billion tonnes of carbon per year (Gt C year−1). 5,9,10,11 A grand challenge in the study of the history of life on Earth has been to constrain the trajectory that connects present-day productivity to the origin of life. Here, we address this gap by piecing together estimates of primary productivity from the origin of life to the present day. We estimate that ∼1011–1012 Gt C has cumulatively been fixed through GPP (≈100 times greater than Earth's entire carbon stock). We further estimate that 1039–1040 cells have occupied the Earth to date, that more autotrophs than heterotrophs have ever existed, and that cyanobacteria likely account for a larger proportion than any other group in terms of the number of cells. We discuss implications for evolutionary trajectories and highlight the early Proterozoic, which encompasses the Great Oxidation Event (GOE), as the time where most uncertainty exists regarding the quantitative census presented here. • The biosphere has fixed ∼1011–1012 Gt C via primary production over Earth's history • ∼1039–1040 cells have existed on Earth since the origin of life • Cyanobacteria are likely the most abundant group of organisms to have ever existed • Changes in productivity should be considered in the use of molecular clocks Crockford et al. quantify the historically integrated productivity of the biosphere. In total, Earth's biosphere has fixed ∼1011–1012 billion tonnes of carbon, which is ∼100 times Earth's entire carbon stock. Crockford et al. further estimate that there have been ∼1039–1040 cells on Earth to date, with cyanobacteria being the most abundant group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In the northern Barents Sea there is a seasonal pattern of production and size distribution of planktonic foraminifers and pteropods, increasing from winter (March) to summer (July–August) and late autumn (December). • In general, pteropods dominate over planktonic foraminifera in the Arctic influenced stations. • In the study area, pteropods contribute the most (>80%) to carbon standing stocks and export production. • The highest values of carbon standing stocks and export production were found in the seasonal ice zone during all seasons. The Barents Sea is presently undergoing rapid warming and the sea-ice edge and the productive zones are retreating northward at accelerating rates. Planktonic foraminifers and shelled pteropods are ubiquitous marine calcifiers that play an important role in the carbon budget and being particularly sensitive to ocean biogeochemical changes and ocean acidification. Their distribution at high latitudes have rarely been studied, and usually only for the summer season. Here we present results of their distribution patterns in the upper 300 m in the water column (individuals m−3), protein content and size distribution on a seasonal basis to estimate their inorganic and organic carbon standing stocks (µg m−3) and export production (mg m−2 d−1). The study area constitutes a latitudinal transect in the northern Barents Sea from 76˚ N to 82˚ N including seven stations through both Atlantic, Arctic, and Polar surface water regimes and the marginal and seasonal sea-ice zones. The transect was sampled in 2019 (August and December) and 2021 (March, May, and July). The highest carbon standing stocks and export production were found at the Polar seasonally sea-ice covered shelf stations with the contribution from shelled pteropods being significantly higher than planktonic foraminifers during all seasons. We recorded the highest production of foraminifers and pteropods in summer (August 2019 and July 2021) and autumn (December 2019) followed by spring (May 2021), and the lowest in winter (March 2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrients from depth have been hypothesized as a primary source of new nutrients that sustain new productivity in oligotrophic oceans; however, the flux is challenging to quantify. Here we show for a first time in the oligotrophic South China Sea an extremely low diapycnal dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) flux as 1.8 × 10−4 mmol m−2 d−1 in the nutrient-depleted layer (NDL) above the nutricline, where other nutrient supplies sustain the new production. Here higher phosphate and silicate fluxes relative to DIN than Redfield stoichiometry further indicate N-limited biological productivity and additional removal of DIN by diatoms. Below the NDL across the nutricline to the base of euphotic zone, termed as nutrient replete layer, the DIN flux is three orders of magnitude larger and sufficient in supporting the export production therein. Here higher DIC flux relative to DIN than Redfield stoichiometry further infers DIC excess in the upper ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced modelling studies and high-resolution observations have shown that flows related to instability of the mesoscale (~ 1-10 km scale) may provide both the fertilisation mechanism for nutrient-depleted (oligotrophic) surface waters and a subduction mechanism for the rapid export of phytoplankton biomass to the deep ocean. Here, a detailed multidisciplinary analysis of the data from an example high-resolution observational campaign is presented. The data provide direct observations of the transport of phytoplankton through baroclinic instability. Furthermore, the data confirm that this transport is constrained by the requirement to conserve angular momentum, expressed in a stratified water column as the conservation of potential vorticity. This constraint is clearly seen to produce long thin filaments of phytoplankton populations strained out along isopycnal vorticity annuli associated with mesoscale frontal instabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]