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Polysaccharide aggregation as a potential sink of marine dissolved organic carbon

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  • Anja Engel

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung
    Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook University
    Leibniz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften, Universität Kiel
    Centre IRD de Noumea, BPA5)

  • Silke Thoms

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

  • Ulf Riebesell

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung
    Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook University
    Leibniz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften, Universität Kiel
    Centre IRD de Noumea, BPA5)

  • Emma Rochelle-Newall

    (Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche sur Mer, Station Zoologique
    Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook University
    Leibniz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften, Universität Kiel
    Centre IRD de Noumea, BPA5)

  • Ingrid Zondervan

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

Abstract

The formation and sinking of biogenic particles mediate vertical mass fluxes and drive elemental cycling in the ocean1. Whereas marine sciences have focused primarily on particle production by phytoplankton growth, particle formation by the assembly of organic macromolecules has almost been neglected2,3. Here we show, by means of a combined experimental and modelling study, that the formation of polysaccharide particles is an important pathway to convert dissolved into particulate organic carbon during phytoplankton blooms, and can be described in terms of aggregation kinetics. Our findings suggest that aggregation processes in the ocean cascade from the molecular scale up to the size of fast-settling particles, and give new insights into the cycling and export of biogeochemical key elements such as carbon, iron and thorium.

Suggested Citation

  • Anja Engel & Silke Thoms & Ulf Riebesell & Emma Rochelle-Newall & Ingrid Zondervan, 2004. "Polysaccharide aggregation as a potential sink of marine dissolved organic carbon," Nature, Nature, vol. 428(6986), pages 929-932, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:428:y:2004:i:6986:d:10.1038_nature02453
    DOI: 10.1038/nature02453
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    Cited by:

    1. Krishna, Shubham & Pahlow, Markus & Schartau, Markus, 2019. "Comparison of two carbon-nitrogen regulatory models calibrated with mesocosm data," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 411(C).

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