Dust deposition pulses to the eastern subtropical North Atlantic gyre: Does ocean's biogeochemistry respond?

摘要: [1] Enhancement of primary and export production following dust deposition pulses is well established for High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll regions, but the effect atmospheric on biogeochemistry oligotrophic gyre regions remains unclear. Here we report concentrations measured Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, concomitantly with upper water at time series station ESTOC (European Station Time in Ocean, Islands) during a 2-year period from winter 1997 to 1999. located eastern subtropical Atlantic about 100 km north Canaria 500 west Sahara, receives aeolian episodically mainly summer. We found close correlation magnitude concentration downward particle flux ESTOC, due relative increase lithogenic matter carbonate sedimentation. Higher aerosol was not accompanied by higher or production, however, indicating that phytoplankton remained unaffected nitrogen supply seasonal yearly timescale. However, estimating bioavailable iron input need population, highly episodic might exert feast famine phytoplankton. Despite high input, carbonate, stemming coccolithophorids, exceeded importance role as ballasting agent sinking organic matter.