Abstract
Blooms of a coccolithophore E. huxleyi are generally huge, occur annually and in the oceans of both Hemispheres. As a calcifying algal species, E. huxleyi is known to enhance the partial pressure of dissolved CO 2 in surface ocean, thus reducing its ability to absorb atmospheric CO 2 . Here we report on the results of our satellite study of CO 2 enhancement in the atmospheric column over E. huxleyi blooms in the North, Greenland, Iceland and Barents seas. The study is based on OCO-2 data, wind force and direction, and E. huxleyi bloom masks developed by us earlier. Eight case studies are discussed herein relating to the time period 2015-2018. The results obtained are strongly indicative that indeed the phenomenon of E. huxleyi blooms noticeably affect the carbon fluxes between the atmosphere and the surface ocean: the quantified enhancement of CO 2 content in the atmospheric column over the bloom area in the six case studies proved to be in the range 0.6 -3.0 ppm. It is also shown that the magnitude of CO 2 enhancement in the atmospheric column is significantly controlled by the air advection in the boundary layer.
Highlights
IntroductionCoccolithophores (class Prymnesiophycea) are the most productive calcite-producing organisms in the world’s oceans [Thierstein, Young, 2013]
Among marine biosystems, coccolithophores are the most productive calcite-producing organisms in the world’s oceans [Thierstein, Young, 2013]
OCO-2 footprint trajectory and along XCO2 track values: a–h are 1–8 Cases, respectively and 3.0 ppm. These numbers are fully consistent with the results we have obtained in the study of E. huxleyi -induced XCO2 in the Black Sea as registered in 2016–2017
Summary
Coccolithophores (class Prymnesiophycea) are the most productive calcite-producing organisms in the world’s oceans [Thierstein, Young, 2013]. This, in turn, is bound to affect the carbon cycle in the atmosphere – ocean surface balance. In addition to the production of particulate calcite, coccolithophores are capable of increasing dissolved CO2 partial pressure within their blooming areas [Holligan et al, 1993; Kondrik et al, 2018]. These two mechanisms affect the carbon balance in surface ocean and tend to weaken marine carbon sinks, which has farreaching consequences in terms of planetary climate change [IPCC, 2014]
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