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Lateral POC transport and consumption in surface and deep waters of the Canary Current region: A box model study
Author(s) -
AlonsoGonzález I. J.,
Arístegui J.,
Vilas J. C.,
HernándezGuerra A.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
global biogeochemical cycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.512
H-Index - 187
eISSN - 1944-9224
pISSN - 0886-6236
DOI - 10.1029/2008gb003185
Subject(s) - mesopelagic zone , particulate organic carbon , flux (metallurgy) , current (fluid) , oceanography , total organic carbon , box model , environmental science , boundary current , geology , atmospheric sciences , ocean current , nutrient , pelagic zone , environmental chemistry , chemistry , phytoplankton , organic chemistry
We have estimated the lateral transport and consumption, from surface to 3000 m, of suspended particulate organic carbon (POC), through a box model approach, in the Canary Current region (subtropical northeast Atlantic). Our results show that lateral POC fluxes are up to 3 orders of magnitude higher than vertical fluxes. In the mesopelagic ocean, the central waters (100–700 m) presented a net carbon consumption of 8.51 × 10 8 mol C d −1 with the highest POC entering through the more coastal section. This lateral flux accounted for 28–59% of the total mesopelagic respiration (R), on the basis of lower and upper case scenarios of vertical POC inputs and dissolved organic carbon contribution to R. We suggest that boundary currents may support higher lateral export of coastally produced POC than previously assumed. A large fraction of this POC would, however, be remineralized in the upper 1000 m instead of being transported to the ocean interior.