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Modeling Photosynthesis and Exudation in Subtropical Oceans
Author(s) -
Wu Zhen,
Dutkiewicz Stephanie,
Jahn Oliver,
Sher Daniel,
White Angelicque,
Follows Michael J.
Publication year - 2021
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 - 10.1029/2021gb006941
Subject(s) - photosynthesis , biogeochemical cycle , biogeochemistry , phytoplankton , environmental science , decoupling (probability) , subtropics , primary producers , carbon cycle , primary production , carbon fixation , biomass (ecology) , microbial loop , environmental chemistry , oceanography , atmospheric sciences , ecosystem , chemistry , botany , ecology , biology , nutrient , geology , control engineering , engineering
Marine phytoplankton contributes nearly half of the total primary production on Earth through photosynthesis. Parameterizations of algal photosynthesis commonly employed in global biogeochemical simulations generally fail to capture the observed vertical structure of primary production. Here we examined the consequences of decoupling photosynthesis (carbon fixation) and biosynthesis (biomass building) with accumulation or exudation of excess photosynthate under energy rich conditions in both regional and global models. The results show that the decoupling of these two processes improved the simulated vertical profile of primary production, increased modeled primary production over 30% globally and over 40% in subtropical oceans, improved simulated meridional patterns of particulate C:N:P and increased modeled surface pool of labile/semi‐labile dissolved organic carbon. More generally, these results highlight the importance of exudation, which results from the decoupling of photosynthesis and biosynthesis, as a major physiological process affecting ocean biogeochemistry.