Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10553/51638
Title: Assessing the apparent imbalance between geochemical and biochemical indicators of meso- and bathypelagic biological activity: What the @$#! is wrong with present calculations of carbon budgets?
Authors: Burd, Adrian B.
Hansell, Dennis A.
Steinberg, Deborah K.
Anderson, Thomas R.
Arístegui, Javier 
Baltar, Federico
Beaupré, Steven R.
Buesseler, Ken O.
DeHairs, Frank
Jackson, George A.
Kadko, David C.
Koppelmann, Rolf
Lampitt, Richard S.
Nagata, Toshi
Reinthaler, Thomas
Robinson, Carol
Robison, Bruce H.
Tamburini, Christian
Tanaka, Tsuneo
UNESCO Clasification: 251001 Oceanografía biológica
Keywords: Mesopelagic
Bathypelagic
Carbon budget
Metabolic activity
Carbon flux
Issue Date: 2010
Publisher: 0967-0645
Project: Intercambio Plataforma-Oceano en El Ecosistema Marino de Las Islas Canarias-Peninsula Iberica (Caibex):Afloramiento de Cabo Guir 
Journal: Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 
Abstract: Metabolic activity in the water column below the euphotic zone is ultimately fuelled by the vertical flux of organic material from the surface. Over time, the deep ocean is presumably at steady state, with sources and sinks balanced. But recently compiled global budgets and intensive local field studies suggest that estimates of metabolic activity in the dark ocean exceed the influx of organic substrates. This imbalance indicates either the existence of unaccounted sources of organic carbon or that metabolic activity in the dark ocean is being over-estimated. Budgets of organic carbon flux and metabolic activity in the dark ocean have uncertainties associated with environmental variability, measurement capabilities, conversion parameters, and processes that are not well sampled. We present these issues and quantify associated uncertainties where possible, using a Monte Carlo analysis of a published data set to determine the probability that the imbalance can be explained purely by uncertainties in measurements and conversion factors. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the bacterial growth efficiencies and assumed cell carbon contents have the greatest effects on the magnitude of the carbon imbalance. Two poorly quantified sources, lateral advection of particles and a population of slowly settling particles, are discussed as providing a means of closing regional carbon budgets. Finally, we make recommendations concerning future research directions to reduce important uncertainties and allow a better determination of the magnitude and causes of the unbalanced carbon budgets.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10553/51638
ISSN: 0967-0645
DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.02.022
Source: Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography [ISSN 0967-0645], v. 57, p. 1557-1571
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