Iron in sea ice: Review and new insights

Abstract The discovery that melting sea ice can fertilize iron (Fe)-depleted polar waters has recently fostered trace metal research efforts in sea ice. The aim of this review is to summarize and synthesize the current understanding of Fe biogeochemistry in sea ice. To do so, we compiled available d...

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Main Authors: D. Lannuzel, M. Vancoppenolle, P. van der Merwe, J. de Jong, K.M. Meiners, M. Grotti, J. Nishioka, V. Schoemann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BioOne 2016-10-01
Series:Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene
Subjects:
Online Access:http://elementascience.org/article/info:doi/10.12952/journal.elementa.000130
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author D. Lannuzel
M. Vancoppenolle
P. van der Merwe
J. de Jong
K.M. Meiners
M. Grotti
J. Nishioka
V. Schoemann
author_facet D. Lannuzel
M. Vancoppenolle
P. van der Merwe
J. de Jong
K.M. Meiners
M. Grotti
J. Nishioka
V. Schoemann
author_sort D. Lannuzel
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The discovery that melting sea ice can fertilize iron (Fe)-depleted polar waters has recently fostered trace metal research efforts in sea ice. The aim of this review is to summarize and synthesize the current understanding of Fe biogeochemistry in sea ice. To do so, we compiled available data on particulate, dissolved, and total dissolvable Fe (PFe, DFe and TDFe, respectively) from sea-ice studies from both polar regions and from sub-Arctic and northern Hemisphere temperate areas. Data analysis focused on a circum-Antarctic Fe dataset derived from 61 ice cores collected during 10 field expeditions carried out between 1997 and 2012 in the Southern Ocean. Our key findings are that 1) concentrations of all forms of Fe (PFe, DFe, TDFe) are at least a magnitude larger in fast ice and pack ice than in typical Antarctic surface waters; 2) DFe, PFe and TDFe behave differently when plotted against sea-ice salinity, suggesting that their distributions in sea ice are driven by distinct, spatially and temporally decoupled processes; 3) DFe is actively extracted from seawater into growing sea ice; 4) fast ice generally has more Fe-bearing particles, a finding supported by the significant negative correlation observed between both PFe and TDFe concentrations in sea ice and water depth; 5) the Fe pool in sea ice is coupled to biota, as indicated by the positive correlations of PFe and TDFe with chlorophyll a and particulate organic carbon; and 6) the vast majority of DFe appears to be adsorbed onto something in sea ice. This review also addresses the role of sea ice as a reservoir of Fe and its role in seeding seasonally ice-covered waters. We discuss the pivotal role of organic ligands in controlling DFe concentrations in sea ice and highlight the uncertainties that remain regarding the mechanisms of Fe incorporation in sea ice.
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spelling doaj.art-ae55b85113b54df7b9c0434315bc65e12022-12-21T17:58:53ZengBioOneElementa: Science of the Anthropocene2325-10262016-10-0110.12952/journal.elementa.000130ELEMENTA-D-14-00003Iron in sea ice: Review and new insightsD. LannuzelM. VancoppenolleP. van der MerweJ. de JongK.M. MeinersM. GrottiJ. NishiokaV. SchoemannAbstract The discovery that melting sea ice can fertilize iron (Fe)-depleted polar waters has recently fostered trace metal research efforts in sea ice. The aim of this review is to summarize and synthesize the current understanding of Fe biogeochemistry in sea ice. To do so, we compiled available data on particulate, dissolved, and total dissolvable Fe (PFe, DFe and TDFe, respectively) from sea-ice studies from both polar regions and from sub-Arctic and northern Hemisphere temperate areas. Data analysis focused on a circum-Antarctic Fe dataset derived from 61 ice cores collected during 10 field expeditions carried out between 1997 and 2012 in the Southern Ocean. Our key findings are that 1) concentrations of all forms of Fe (PFe, DFe, TDFe) are at least a magnitude larger in fast ice and pack ice than in typical Antarctic surface waters; 2) DFe, PFe and TDFe behave differently when plotted against sea-ice salinity, suggesting that their distributions in sea ice are driven by distinct, spatially and temporally decoupled processes; 3) DFe is actively extracted from seawater into growing sea ice; 4) fast ice generally has more Fe-bearing particles, a finding supported by the significant negative correlation observed between both PFe and TDFe concentrations in sea ice and water depth; 5) the Fe pool in sea ice is coupled to biota, as indicated by the positive correlations of PFe and TDFe with chlorophyll a and particulate organic carbon; and 6) the vast majority of DFe appears to be adsorbed onto something in sea ice. This review also addresses the role of sea ice as a reservoir of Fe and its role in seeding seasonally ice-covered waters. We discuss the pivotal role of organic ligands in controlling DFe concentrations in sea ice and highlight the uncertainties that remain regarding the mechanisms of Fe incorporation in sea ice.http://elementascience.org/article/info:doi/10.12952/journal.elementa.000130Sea iceironAntarcticafertilization
spellingShingle D. Lannuzel
M. Vancoppenolle
P. van der Merwe
J. de Jong
K.M. Meiners
M. Grotti
J. Nishioka
V. Schoemann
Iron in sea ice: Review and new insights
Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene
Sea ice
iron
Antarctica
fertilization
title Iron in sea ice: Review and new insights
title_full Iron in sea ice: Review and new insights
title_fullStr Iron in sea ice: Review and new insights
title_full_unstemmed Iron in sea ice: Review and new insights
title_short Iron in sea ice: Review and new insights
title_sort iron in sea ice review and new insights
topic Sea ice
iron
Antarctica
fertilization
url http://elementascience.org/article/info:doi/10.12952/journal.elementa.000130
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AT mvancoppenolle ironinseaicereviewandnewinsights
AT pvandermerwe ironinseaicereviewandnewinsights
AT jdejong ironinseaicereviewandnewinsights
AT kmmeiners ironinseaicereviewandnewinsights
AT mgrotti ironinseaicereviewandnewinsights
AT jnishioka ironinseaicereviewandnewinsights
AT vschoemann ironinseaicereviewandnewinsights