Grand challenges in marine biogeochemistry

Eric P Achterberg

doi:10.3389/fmars.2014.00007

Abstract

The ocean plays a central role in our earth's climate system and also provides a range of important ecosystem services, including food, energy, transport, and nutrient cycling. Marine biogeochemistry focuses on the study of complex biological, chemical, and physical processes involved in the cycling of key chemical elements within the ocean, and between the ocean and the seafloor, land and atmosphere. The ocean is increasingly perturbed by human induced alterations to our planet, including anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon and trace elements, and climate change. The establishment of a detailed understanding of biogeochemical processes, including their rates, is essential to the identification and assessment of climatic and chemical feedbacks associated with changes in the chemical and physical environment that are mediated through ocean biology, chemistry and physics. Important research areas in marine biogeochemistry involve the cycling of organic and inorganic forms of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, the cycling and biological roles of essential trace elements, and the fate and climatic impact of marine produced trace gases.

Highlights

The ocean plays a central role in our earth’s climate system and provides a range of important ecosystem services, including food, energy, transport, and nutrient cycling
Marine biogeochemistry focuses on the study of complex biological, chemical, and physical processes involved in the cycling of key chemical elements within the ocean, and between the ocean and the seafloor, land and atmosphere
GREENHOUSE GASSES The concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs; primarily CO2, CH4 and N2O) are currently ca. 40% higher for CO2, 150% for CH4 and 19% for N2O compared with pre-industrial levels (Myhre et al, 2013), and surpass levels seen over the past 650,000 years or more

Summary

Introduction

The ocean plays a central role in our earth’s climate system and provides a range of important ecosystem services, including food, energy, transport, and nutrient cycling. Marine biogeochemistry focuses on the study of complex biological, chemical, and physical processes involved in the cycling of key chemical elements within the ocean, and between the ocean and the seafloor, land and atmosphere. Important research areas in marine biogeochemistry involve the cycling of organic and inorganic forms of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, the cycling and biological roles of essential trace elements, and the fate and climatic impact of marine produced trace gases.

Results

Conclusion