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Enhancement/reduction of biological pump depends on ocean circulation in the sea-ice reduction regions of the Arctic Ocean

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Abstract

The biological pump is a central process in the ocean carbon cycle, and is a key factor controlling atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). However, whether the Arctic biological pump is enhanced or reduced by the recent loss of sea ice is still unclear. We examined if the effect was dependent on ocean circulation. Melting of sea ice can both enhance and reduce the biological pump in the Arctic Ocean, depending on ocean circulation. The biological pump is reduced within the Beaufort Gyre in the Canada Basin because freshwater accumulation within the gyre limits nutrient supply from deep layers and shelves hence inhibits the growth of large-bodied phytoplankton. Conversely, the biological pump is enhanced outside the Beaufort Gyre in the western Arctic Ocean because of nutrient supply from shelves and greater light penetration, enhancing photosynthesis, caused by the sea ice loss. The biological pump could also be enhanced by sea ice loss in the Eurasian Basin, where uplifted isohaline surfaces associated with the Transpolar Drift supply nutrients upwards from deep layers. New data on nitrate uptake rates are consistent with the pattern of enhancement and reduction of the Arctic biological pump. Our estimates indicate that the enhanced biological pump can be as large as that in other oceans when the sea ice disappears. Contrary to a recent conclusion based on data from the Canada Basin alone, our study suggests that the biological CO2 drawdown is important for the Arctic Ocean carbon sink under ice-free conditions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank K. Shimada, the chief scientist of the R/V Mirai cruises in 2002 and 2008, and the captain, officers, and crew of the R/V Mirai, which was operated by Global Ocean Development, Inc. We also thank the staff of Marine Works Japan, Ltd. for their skillful work aboard the ship and with data processing. Geographical maps and figures were illustrated using Ocean Data View software (Schlitzer 2006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute for Global Change, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan

    Shigeto Nishino, Takashi Kikuchi, Yusuke Kawaguchi & Motoyo Itoh

  2. Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4-5-7 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8477, Japan

    Michiyo Yamamoto-Kawai

  3. Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minato-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido, 041-8611, Japan

    Toru Hirawake

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  1. Shigeto Nishino
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  2. Takashi Kikuchi
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  3. Michiyo Yamamoto-Kawai
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  4. Yusuke Kawaguchi
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  5. Toru Hirawake
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  6. Motoyo Itoh
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Correspondence to Shigeto Nishino.

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Nishino, S., Kikuchi, T., Yamamoto-Kawai, M. et al. Enhancement/reduction of biological pump depends on ocean circulation in the sea-ice reduction regions of the Arctic Ocean. J Oceanogr 67, 305–314 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-011-0030-7

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