Decadal shift of biogenic sinking particle flux in the western North Pacific subpolar region. Issue 2 (28th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Watanabe, Yutaka W.; Shigemitsu, Masahito; Ujiie, Takashi; Minami, Hideki
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 41:Issue 2(2014:Jan.)
• Page Start: 513
• Page End: 518
• Publication Date: 2014-01-28
• Subjects: Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2013GL059142
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Time series of biogenic sinking particle flux in the western North Pacific subpolar region over two decades (1989–2008) revealed that the biogenic CaCO₃ (CC) flux has shown a significant decreasing trend of 2.7% year⁻¹ (annual average, −0.88 ± 0.13 mg m² day⁻¹ year⁻¹) along with the decreasing particulate organic carbon (POC) flux of 0.7% year⁻¹, while the biogenic opal (OP) flux had no long‐term trend. Comparing these results with the decreasing rate of satellite‐derived surface CC with −0.7% year⁻¹, we concluded that three fourths of the decreasing trend of CC flux was derived from the strengthening of CaCO₃ dissolution through seawater column due to the weakening of water ventilation and the rest was from the decline of CaCO₃‐shelled species, indicating the enhancement of the efficiency in oceanic sequestration of atmospheric CO₂ in the sea surface of this region due to the increase of OP/CC ratio.</p> </abstract>