Role of sea ice in global biogeochemical cycles: Emerging views and challenges

in Quaternary Science Reviews (2013)

Observations from the last decade suggest an important role of sea ice in the global biogeochemical cycles, promoted by (i) active biological and chemical processes within the sea ice; (ii) fluid and gas ... [more ▼]

Observations from the last decade suggest an important role of sea ice in the global biogeochemical cycles, promoted by (i) active biological and chemical processes within the sea ice; (ii) fluid and gas exchanges at the sea ice interface through an often permeable sea ice cover; and (iii) tight physical, biological and chemical interactions between the sea ice, the ocean and the atmosphere. Photosynthetic micro-organisms in sea ice thrive in liquid brine inclusions encased in a pure ice matrix, where they find suitable light and nutrient levels. They extend the production season, provide a winter and early spring food source, and contribute to organic carbon export to depth. Under-ice and ice edge phytoplankton blooms occur when ice retreats, favoured by increasing light, stratification, and by the release of material into the water column. In particular, the release of iron – highly concentrated in sea ice – could have large effects in the iron-limited Southern Ocean. The export of inorganic carbon transport by brine sinking below the mixed layer, calcium carbonate precipitation in sea ice, as well as active iceatmosphere carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes, could play a central role in the marine carbon cycle. Sea ice processes could also significantly contribute to the sulphur cycle through the large production by ice algae of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), the precursor of sulfate aerosols, which as cloud condensation nuclei have a potential cooling effect on the planet. Finally, the sea ice zone supports significant ocean-atmosphere methane (CH4) fluxes, while saline ice surfaces activate springtime atmospheric bromine chemistry, setting ground for tropospheric ozone depletion events observed near both poles. All these mechanisms are generally known, but neither precisely understood nor quantified at large scales. As polar regions are rapidly changing, understanding the large-scale polar marine biogeochemical processes and their future evolution is of high priority. Earth system models should in this context prove essential, but they currently represent sea ice as biologically and chemically inert. Paleoclimatic proxies are also relevant, in particular the sea ice proxies, inferring past sea ice conditions from glacial and marine sediment core records and providing analogs for future changes. Being highly constrained by marine biogeochemistry, sea ice proxies would not only contribute to but also benefit from a better understanding of polar marine biogeochemical cycles. [less ▲]

Modeling argon dynamics in first-year sea ice

Poster (2012, July)

How convection and diffusion processes might affect biological imprints, a challenge for modelers

Conference (2012, April)

First estimates of the contribution of CaCO3 precipitation to the release of CO2 to the atmosphere during young sea ice growth

in Journal of Geophysical Research. Oceans (2012), 118(1-12),

We report measurements of pH, total alkalinity, air-ice CO2 fluxes (chamber method) and CaCO3 content of frost flowers (FF) and thin landfast sea ice. As the temperature decreases, concentration of ... [more ▼]

We report measurements of pH, total alkalinity, air-ice CO2 fluxes (chamber method) and CaCO3 content of frost flowers (FF) and thin landfast sea ice. As the temperature decreases, concentration of solutes in the brine skim (BS) increases. Along this gradual concentration process, some salts reach their solubility threshold and start precipitating. The precipitation of ikaite (CaCO3.6H2O) was confirmed in the FF and throughout the ice by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray analysis. The amount of ikaite precipitated was estimated to be 25 µmol kg-1 melted FF, in the FF and is shown to decrease from 19 µmol kg-1 to 15 µmol kg-1 melted ice in the upper part and at the bottom of the ice, respectively. CO2 release due to precipitation of CaCO3 is estimated to be 50 µmol kg-1 melted samples. The dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) normalized to a salinity of 10 exhibits significant depletion in the upper layer of the ice and in the FF. This DIC loss is estimated to be 2069 µmol kg-1 melted sample and corresponds to a CO2 release from the ice to the atmosphere ranging from 20 to 40 mmol m-2 d-1. This estimate is consistent with flux measurements of air-ice CO2 exchange. Our measurements confirm previous laboratory findings that growing young sea ice acts as a source of CO2 to the atmosphere. CaCO3 precipitation during early ice growth appears to promote the release of CO2 to the atmosphere however its contribution to the overall release by newly formed ice is most likely minor. [less ▲]

Variability of carbon dioxide and methane in the epilimnion of Lake Kivu

in Descy, J.-P.; Darchambeau, François; Schmid, M. (Eds.) Lake Kivu: Limnology and biogeochemistry of a tropical great lake (2012)

We report a dataset of the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and me-thane concentrations (CH4) in the surface waters of Lake Kivu ob-tained during four cruises covering the two main seasons (rainy and dry ... [more ▼]

We report a dataset of the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and me-thane concentrations (CH4) in the surface waters of Lake Kivu ob-tained during four cruises covering the two main seasons (rainy and dry). Spatial gradients of surface pCO2 and CH4 concentrations were modest in the main basin. In Kabuno Bay, pCO2 and CH4 concentra-tions in surface waters were higher, owing to the stronger influence of subaquatic springs from depth. Seasonal variations of pCO2 and CH4 in the main basin of Lake Kivu were strongly driven by deepen-ing of the epilimnion and the resulting entrainment of water charac-terized by higher pCO2 and CH4 concentrations. Physical and chem-ical vertical patterns in Kabuno Bay were seasonally stable, owing to a stronger stratification and smaller surface area inducing fetch limi-tation of wind driven turbulence. A global and regional cross-system comparison of pCO2 and CH4 concentrations in surface waters of lakes highlights the peculiarity of Kabuno Bay in terms of pCO2 values in surface waters. In terms of surface CH4 concentrations, both Kabuno Bay and the main basin of Lake Kivu are at the lower end of values in lakes globally, despite the huge amounts of CH4 and CO2 in the deeper layers of the lake. [less ▲]

Spatial and temporal CO2 exchanges measured by Eddy Covariance over a temperate intertidal flat and their relationships to net ecosystem production

in Biogeosciences (2012), 9(1), 249--268

Measurements of carbon dioxide fluxes were performed over a temperate intertidal mudflat in southwestern France using the micrometeorological Eddy Covariance (EC) technique. EC measurements were carried ... [more ▼]

Measurements of carbon dioxide fluxes were performed over a temperate intertidal mudflat in southwestern France using the micrometeorological Eddy Covariance (EC) technique. EC measurements were carried out in two contrasting sites of the Arcachon flat during four periods and in three different seasons (autumn 2007, summer 2008, autumn 2008 and spring 2009). In addition, satellite images of the tidal flat at low tide were used to link the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) with the occupation of the mudflat by primary producers, particularly by Zostera noltii meadows. CO2 fluxes during the four deployments showed important spatial and temporal variations, with the flat rapidly shifting from sink to source with the tide. Absolute CO2 fluxes showed generally small negative (influx) and positive (efflux) values, with larger values up to −13 μmol m−2 s−1 for influxes and 19 μmol m−2 s−1 for effluxes. Low tide during the day was mostly associated with a net uptake of atmospheric CO2. In contrast, during immersion and during low tide at night, CO2 fluxes where positive, negative or close to zero, depending on the season and the site. During the autumn of 2007, at the innermost station with a patchy Zostera noltii bed (cover of 22 ± 14% in the wind direction of measurements), CO2 influx was −1.7 ± 1.7 μmol m−2 s−1 at low tide during the day, and the efflux was 2.7 ± 3.7 μmol m−2 s−1 at low tide during the night. A gross primary production (GPP) of 4.4 ± 4.1 μmol m−2 s−1 during emersion could be attributed to microphytobenthic communities. During the summer and autumn of 2008, at the central station with a dense eelgrass bed (92 ± 10%), CO2 uptakes at low tide during the day were −1.5 ± 1.2 and −0.9 ± 1.7 μmol m−2 s−1, respectively. Night time effluxes of CO2 were 1.0 ± 0.9 and 0.2 ± 1.1 μmol m−2 s−1 in summer and autumn, respectively, resulting in a GPP during emersion of 2.5 ± 1.5 and 1.1 ± 2.0 μmol m−2 s−1, respectively, attributed primarily to the seagrass community. At the same station in April 2009, before Zostera noltii started to grow, the CO2 uptake at low tide during the day was the highest (−2.7 ± 2.0 μmol m−2 s−1). Influxes of CO2 were also observed during immersion at the central station in spring and early autumn and were apparently related to phytoplankton blooms occurring at the mouth of the flat, followed by the advection of CO2-depleted water with the flooding tide. Although winter data as well as water carbon measurements would be necessary to determine a precise CO2 budget for the flat, our results suggest that tidal flat ecosystems are a modest contributor to the CO2 budget of the coastal ocean. [less ▲]

Variability of methane in the epilimnion of Lake Kivu

Poster (2011, July 11)

Evaluation of metabolic rates in various benthic communities in the Bay of Revellata (Corsica) using optodes

Poster (2011, April 08)

Variability of methane in the epilimnion of Lake Kivu

Poster (2011, April 08)

Temporal evolution of biogeochemical properties of landfast sea ice at Barrow (Alaska)

Poster (2011, March)