Variations of marine plankton [delta][sup 13]C with latitude, temperature, and dissolved CO[sub 2] in the world ocean

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · Global Biogeochemical Cycles; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/93GB03272· OSTI ID:6956113

Goericke, R ^[1]; Fry, B ^[2]

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1. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA (United States)
2. Ecosystems Center, Woods Hole, MA (United States)

Variations of the [sup 13]C content of marine particulate organic carbon [delta][sup 13]C[sub POC] in the modern ocean were studied using literature data to test the assumptions underlying the calculation of atmospheric pCO[sub 2] through geological time from the [delta][sup 13]C of sedimentary organic matter. These assumptions are that (1) concentrations of CO[sub 2] in the atmosphere and the surface ocean are at equilibrium at all times and latitudes and that (2) carbon isotopic fractionation of phytoplankton ([epsilon][sub p]) covaries primarily with concentrations of dissolved molecular CO[sub 2] ([CO[sub 2]][sub aq]). Previous studies and compilations have shown that the first assumption does not strictly hold, although [CO[sub 2]][sub aq] may be predicted with a reasonable degree of accuracy from sea surface temperature for specific regions of the world ocean. The second assumption is shown to be questionable due to the weak covariation of [epsilon][sub p] and [CO[sub 2]][sub aq] in the modern ocean. The large residual variance for regressions of [epsilon][sub p] against [CO[sub 2]][sub aq] suggests that factors other than [CO[sub 2]][sub aq] strongly affect carbon isotopic fractionation in phytoplankton. It is concluded that the relationship between [epsilon][sub p] and [CO[sub 2]][sub aq] cannot be easily calibrated using [delta][sup 13]C[sub POC] data from the modern ocean. 38 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.

• DOE Contract Number: FG02-92ER61438
• OSTI ID: 6956113
• Journal Information: Global Biogeochemical Cycles; (United States), Vol. 8:1; ISSN 0886-6236
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CARBON 13
VARIATIONS
DISSOLVED GASES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
GLOBAL ASPECTS
CARBON CYCLE
LATITUDE EFFECT
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
PHYTOPLANKTON
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
SEAS
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
CARBON DIOXIDE
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON ISOTOPES
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FLUIDS
GASES
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANKTON
PLANTS
SOLUTES
STABLE ISOTOPES
SURFACE WATERS
540310* - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (1990-)
550700 - Microbiology