Quantifying the time lag between organic matter production and export in the surface ocean: Implications for estimates of export efficiency

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• 作者：P. Stange ; L. T. Bach ; F. A. C. Le Moigne ; J. Taucher ; T. Boxhammer ; U. Riebesell
• 刊名：Geophysical Research Letters
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：16 January 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：44
• 期：1
• 页码：268-276
• 全文大小：885.7KB
• ISSN：1944-8007

文摘

The ocean's potential to export carbon to depth partly depends on the fraction of primary production (PP) sinking out of the euphotic zone (i.e., the e-ratio). Measurements of PP and export flux are often performed simultaneously in the field, although there is a temporal delay between those parameters. Thus, resulting e-ratio estimates often incorrectly assume an instantaneous downward export of PP to export flux. Evaluating results from four mesocosm studies, we find that peaks in organic matter sedimentation lag chlorophyll a peaks by 2 to 15 days. We discuss the implications of these time lags (TLs) for current e-ratio estimates and evaluate potential controls of TL. Our analysis reveals a strong correlation between TL and the duration of chlorophyll a buildup, indicating a dependency of TL on plankton food web dynamics. This study is one step further toward time-corrected e-ratio estimates.