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Major Impact of Dust Deposition on the Productivity of the Arabian Sea
Author(s) -
Guieu Cécile,
Al Azhar Muchamad,
Aumont Olivier,
Mahowald Natalie,
Levy Marina,
Ethé Christian,
Lachkar Zouhair
Publication year - 2019
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 - 10.1029/2019gl082770
Subject(s) - biogeochemical cycle , biogeochemistry , deposition (geology) , environmental science , reactive nitrogen , atmospheric sciences , primary productivity , nutrient , new production , iron fertilization , productivity , primary production , mineral dust , nitrogen fixation , nitrogen , aerosol , atmosphere (unit) , monsoon , oceanography , ecosystem , environmental chemistry , geology , meteorology , chemistry , ecology , geography , phytoplankton , biology , paleontology , macroeconomics , organic chemistry , sediment , economics
In the Arabian Sea (AS), spatiotemporal nutrient limitation patterns of primary production and the possible role of nutrient inputs from the atmosphere are still not well understood. Using a biogeochemical model forced by modeled aerosol deposition, we show that without high atmospheric iron inputs through dust deposition during the summer monsoon, primary production over the AS would be reduced by half. Atmospheric iron deposition also supports most of the nitrogen fixation over the AS. However, our ocean biogeochemistry modeling results suggest that dinitrogen fixation constitutes a negligible fraction of the primary production. Finally, we show that atmospheric inputs of nitrogen, mostly from anthropogenic activities in India, have a negligible impact on primary production.