Tools
Tools
Serret, P, Robinson, C, Aranguren-Gassis, M, García-Martín, EE, Gist, N, Kitidis, V, Lozano, J, Stephens, JA, Harris, C and Thomas, R 2015 Both respiration and photosynthesis determine the scaling of plankton metabolism in the oligotrophic ocean. Nature Communications, 6. 6961. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7961
|
Text
Serret et al Nat Comms 2015.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract/Summary
Despite its importance to ocean–climate interactions, the metabolic state of the oligotrophic ocean has remained controversial for 415 years. Positions in the debate are that it is either hetero- or autotrophic, which suggests either substantial unaccounted for organic matter inputs, or that all available photosynthesis (P) estimations (including 14C) are biased. Here we show the existence of systematic differences in the metabolic state of the North (heterotrophic) and South (autotrophic) Atlantic oligotrophic gyres, resulting from differences in both P and respiration (R). The oligotrophic ocean is neither auto- nor heterotrophic, but functionally diverse. Our results show that the scaling of plankton metabolism by generalized P:R relationships that has sustained the debate is biased, and indicate that the variability of R, and not only of P, needs to be considered in regional estimations of the ocean’s metabolic state.
| Item Type: | Publication - Article |
|---|---|
| Additional Keywords: | Photosynthesis Respiration |
| Subjects: | Earth Sciences Marine Sciences Oceanography |
| Divisions: | Plymouth Marine Laboratory > Science Areas > Marine Biochemistry and Observations |
| Depositing User: | Vassilis Kitidis |
| Date made live: | 10 Sep 2015 09:08 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Apr 2020 09:56 |
| URI: | https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/6565 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |