Open AccessSwitching perspectives: Do mineral fluxes determine particulate organic carbon fluxes or vice versa?
Author(s) -
Passow Uta
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.928
H-Index - 136
ISSN - 1525-2027
DOI - 10.1029/2003gc000670
Subject(s) - marine snow , mineral , mineral dust , particulates , sedimentation , particulate organic carbon , total organic carbon , geology , carbon fibers , carbonate , biogenic silica , quartz , snow , total inorganic carbon , oceanography , mineralogy , carbon cycle , environmental chemistry , photic zone , environmental science , carbon dioxide , nutrient , aerosol , geomorphology , ecology , water column , chemistry , sediment , ecosystem , paleontology , materials science , phytoplankton , composite number , composite material , organic chemistry , diatom , biology
It has recently been postulated that mineral material like biogenic silica frustules or carbonate shells as well as lithogenic dust act as ballast material determining particulate organic carbon (POC) fluxes below 2000 m in the ocean. However, correlations do not identify cause and effect, and in this commentary it is proposed that on the contrary, POC fluxes determine fluxes of this mineral material. I suggest that during sedimentation marine snow originating from biological activity in the surface layer collect small, non‐sinking mineral particles of biogenic and lithogenic origin until its carrying capacity is reached.