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Active mesopelagic prokaryotes support high respiration in the subtropical northeast Atlantic Ocean
Author(s) -
Arístegui Javier,
Duarte Carlos M.,
Gasol Josep M.,
AlonsoSáez Laura
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2004gl021863
Subject(s) - mesopelagic zone , pelagic zone , subtropics , oceanography , prokaryote , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , geology , ecology , biology , paleontology , bacteria
Here we provide evidence, based on prokaryote metabolic proxies and direct estimates of oxygen consumption, that the mesopelagic prokaryote assemblage in the subtropical Northeast Atlantic is an active one. It supports a high respiration (0.22 ± 0.05 μmol O 2 l −1 d −1 , corresponding to 68 ± 8 mmol CO 2 m −2 d −1 ), comparable to that of the epipelagic zone during the same period (64–97 mmol C m −2 d −1 ). Our findings suggest that mesopelagic prokaryotes in the NE subtropical Ocean, as well as in other eastern boundary regions, are important carbon sinks for organic matter advected from the highly productive coastal systems, and would play a key role in the global carbon cycle of the oceans.