Objective
The general objective of this project is to evaluate the role of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the seasonal variability of marine ecosystems and the biological pump of dissolved inorganic carbon from the upper into deep ocean in different ocean regions, in order to better understand and predict how possible anthropogenic impacts will affect the ocean biological productivity and carbon cycle. To achieve this objective, the following research activities are planned: - comparison studies of existing and newly obtained data on DOM concentration in open and coastal ocean regions; - investigation into mechanisms of production and degradation of DOM; - development and verification of marine ecosystem models describing seasonal DOM cycling in open and coastal waters; - development and verification of a simple seasonal biogeochemical/ hydrodynamical model of the world ocean with detailed description of DOM and carbon cycles; - simulating the response of the marine ecosystem, DOM and oceanic carbon cycle to possible external impacts (changes in surface air temperature, enhanced terrigeneous input of organic matter and nutrients, increased UV-radiation, excess atmospheric CO2 concentration). Principal results expected from the project will be: - estimates of seasonal changes in contributions of different mechanisms into production and degradation of DOM in the open ocean and coastal areas; - a better understanding of the role of river inputs and the interaction with sediments in the seasonal variability of DOM and carbon budget in the coastal areas; - simulated seasonal cycles and budget of nutrients, phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacteria, detritus, DOM, total inorganic carbon, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen in the world ocean; - calculated contributions of particulate and dissolved organic matter fluxes into the biological pump; - estimates of the response of the ocean ecosystem and biological pump to changes in surface air temperature, UV-radiation and river inputs of organic matter and nutrients; - refined estimates of the ocean uptake of excess atmospheric CO2.
Topic(s)
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SO14 3ZH Southampton
United Kingdom