The oceanic carbonate system: a reassessment of biogenic controls.

摘要: Fluxes of biogenic carbonates moving out the euphotic zone and into deeper undersaturated waters North Pacific were estimated with free-drifting sediment traps. Short-duration (1 to 1.5 day) sampling between 100 2200 meters points a major involvement in oceanic carbonate system by class organisms which had been relegated secondary role—aragonitic pteropods. Pteropod fluxes through base are almost large enough balance alkalinity budget for Ocean. Dissolution experiments freshly collected materials shed considerable light on mystery surrounding these labile organisms: although plankton collections from net tows always contain numbers pteropods, never component long-duration trap collections. Their low abundance results dissolution subsequent collection. Shortduration showed significant increases ratio calcitic foraminifera aragonitic pteropods waters, indicating more stable mineralogic form, calcite, was preserved relative aragonite. Approximately 90 percent aragonite flux is remineralized upper 2.2 kilometers water column.