Salp blooms increase carbon export 5-fold in the Southern Ocean

Abstract

The Southern Ocean (SO) contributes substantially to the global biological carbon pump (BCP). Salps in the SO, in particular Salpa thompsoni, are keystone grazers that produce large, fast-sinking fecal pellets with high export potential. In a first study of this kind, we conducted Lagrangian experiments to quantify the salp bloom impacts on export pathways by contrasting locations differing in salp bloom presence/absence. We show that blooms increased particle export by ~5-fold, and exported up to 46% of net primary production out of the euphotic zone. BCP efficiency increased from 5% in non-salp areas to up to 28% in salp areas, which is among the highest recorded in the global ocean. Using SO salp abundances from KRILLBASE, we estimate they can consume ~ 13% of regional production, mediating 13-40% of the SO BCP. Consideration in models forecasting the SO BCP is recommended considering long-term increases in SO salp abundances.