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Chemoautotrophy in the ocean
Author(s) -
Middelburg Jack J.
Publication year - 2011
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 - 10.1029/2011gl049725
Subject(s) - photic zone , anoxic waters , total organic carbon , oceanography , organic matter , environmental science , carbon fibers , deep sea , remineralisation , hydrothermal vent , ammonium , shore , hydrothermal circulation , total inorganic carbon , geology , water column , environmental chemistry , earth science , nutrient , carbon dioxide , chemistry , paleontology , ecology , phytoplankton , biology , inorganic chemistry , materials science , fluoride , organic chemistry , composite number , composite material
Organic matter recycling releases ammonium, and under anoxic conditions, other reduced metabolites that can be used by chemoautotrophs to fix inorganic carbon. Here I present an estimate for the global rate of oceanic carbon fixation by chemoautotrophs (0.77 Pg C y −1 ). Near‐shore and shelf sediments (0.29 Pg C y −1 ) and nitrifiers in the euphotic zone (0.29 Pg C y −1 ) and the dark ocean (0.11 Pg C y −1 ) are the most important contributors. This input of new organic carbon to the ocean is similar to that supplied by world‐rivers and eventually buried in oceanic sediments. Chemoautotrophy driven by organic carbon recycling is globally more important than that fuelled by water‐rock interactions and hydrothermal vent systems.