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Title: Biogeochemical Cycling of Dissolved Zinc in the Western Arctic (Arctic GEOTRACES GN01)

Journal Article · · Global Biogeochemical Cycles
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GB005975· OSTI ID:1501748
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [3]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [5]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Department of Oceanography Texas A&,M University College Station TX USA
  2. Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Florida State University Tallahassee FL USA, Ocean and Earth Sciences University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, National Oceanography Centre Southampton UK
  3. Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Boothbay ME USA
  4. Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Florida State University Tallahassee FL USA
  5. Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences Rutgers University New Brunswick NJ USA, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences Rutgers University Piscataway NJ USA

Abstract The biogeochemical cycling of dissolved zinc (dZn) was investigated in the Western Arctic along the U.S. GEOTRACES GN01 section. Vertical profiles of dZn in the Arctic are strikingly different than the classic “nutrient‐type” profile commonly seen in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, instead exhibiting higher surface concentrations (~1.1 nmol/kg), a shallow subsurface absolute maximum (~4–6 nmol/kg) at 200 m coincident with a macronutrient maximum, and low deep water concentrations (~1.3 nmol/kg) that are homogeneous (sp.) with depth. In contrast to other ocean basins, typical inputs such as rivers, atmospheric inputs, and especially deep remineralization are insignificant in the Arctic. Instead, we demonstrate that dZn distributions in the Arctic are controlled primarily by (1) shelf fluxes following the sediment remineralization of high Zn:C and Zn:Si cells and the seaward advection of those fluxes and (2) mixing of dZn from source waters such as the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans rather than vertical biological regeneration of dZn. This results in both the unique profile shapes and the largely decoupled relationship between dZn and Si found in the Arctic. We found a weak dZn:Si regression in the full water column (0.077 nmol/μmol, r 2  = 0.58) that is higher than the global slope (0.059 nmol/μmol, r 2  = 0.94) because of the shelf‐derived halocline dZn enrichments. We hypothesize that the decoupling of Zn:Si in Western Arctic deep waters results primarily from a past ventilation event with unique preformed Zn:Si stoichiometries.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
DE‐AC02‐06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1501748
Journal Information:
Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Journal Name: Global Biogeochemical Cycles Vol. 33 Journal Issue: 3; ISSN 0886-6236
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 19 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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