Monien, Donata, Monien, Patrick, Brünjes, Robert, Widmer, Tatjana, Kappenberg, Arne, Silva Busso, Adrian A., Schnetger, Bernhard and Brumsack, Hans-Jürgen (2017) Meltwater as a source of potentially bioavailable iron to Antarctica waters. Antarctic Science, 29 (3). pp. 277-291. DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/S095410201600064X.

Text D93DAD922ECAAECCD91626CCCE109DA5 - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (241kB)

Abstract

Recent rapid retreat of glacial front lines and the loss of land ice along the Antarctic margins may play an important role in exporting suspended particulate matter (SPM) potentially rich in bioavailable (defined as ascorbate leachable) iron (FeA) to coastal areas of the Southern Ocean. Sediment ablation is an additional source of iron for this high-nutrient low-chlorophyll region. In Potter Cove, King George Island, meltwater streams discharge up to 18 000 mg l-1 (average 283 mg l-1) of slightly weathered, finely ground bedrock particles into coastal waters during the summer. Approximately 15% of this SPM is exported within a low-salinity surface plume into Bransfield Strait. Based on our data, an estimated 12 mg m-2 yr-1 of FeA is exported from the South Shetland Island land surface (ice-free and subglacial areas) to the surrounding coastal waters. Extrapolated to an area of 2.5x104 km2, this FeA input is comparable to the contribution from icebergs and c. 240-fold higher than aeolian input via dust. An observed rise in local sediment accumulation rates suggests that glacial erosion has been increasing over recent decades and that (sub-)glacially derived SPM is becoming more important as a source of iron to the Southern Ocean.

Document Type:	Article
Funder compliance:	FP7/PEOPLE/2012/IRSES
Programme Area:	UNSPECIFIED
Research affiliation:	Infrastructure > Chemistry Laboratory
Refereed:	Yes
Open Access Journal?:	No
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1017/S095410201600064X
ISSN:	0954-1020
Date Deposited:	13 May 2019 13:24
Last Modified:	01 Oct 2020 12:58
URI:	http://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/1795

Actions (login required)

View Item