Affiliation:
1. Research Infrastructure for Marine Biological Resources Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Acton 55, 80133 Napoli, Italy
2. Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Acton 55, 80133 Napoli, Italy
Abstract
Primary production in the Southern Ocean highly depends on phytoplankton and has been reported to be limited by the availability of the micronutrient iron. The aim of this review is to summarize the past and current knowledge on iron limitation in the Southern Ocean, and specifically how it affects primary producers, thus influencing the whole Southern Ocean community structure, carbon cycling, and large-scale ocean biogeochemistry. In this region, extensive variability exists between different areas regarding iron availability, but also between seasons. Moreover, co-limitations with other abiotic environmental factors exist, further complicating the assessment of the role of iron as limiting factor for phytoplankton productivity. Currently, climate change is altering the Southern Ocean environment. How these changes will affect resident phytoplankton is still not clear, possibly modifying the iron supply mechanisms. Existing projections point towards a possible partial relief of iron stress on phytoplankton, but the interactions between different environmental changes, and the cascade effects they will have, are still poorly understood, and some aspects understudied. Here we try to synthetize the available predictions and uncertainties concerning this topic.
Subject
Ocean Engineering,Water Science and Technology,Civil and Structural Engineering
Reference133 articles.
1. Guy, J., and Paul, G. (1986). Écosystèmes Pélagiques Marins, Elsevier Masson. Collection d’écologie.
2. Knox, G.A. (2006). Biology of the Southern Ocean, CRC Press. [2nd ed.].
3. Lauritano, C., Rizzo, C., Lo Giudice, A., and Saggiomo, M. (2020). Physiological and Molecular Responses to Main Environmental Stressors of Microalgae and Bacteria in Polar Marine Environments. Microorganisms, 8.
4. Iron in Antarctic Waters;Martin;Nature,1990
5. Limitation of Productivity by Trace Metals in the Sea;Morel;Limnol. Oceanogr.,1991
Cited by
5 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献