Does the settling column method underestimate phytoplankton sinking speeds?
Phytoplankton sinking is a major component of vertical ocean carbon and nutrient fluxes, and sinking is an integral component of phytoplankton biology and ecology. Much of our understanding of phytoplankton sinking derives from the settling column method (SETCOL) in which sinking speeds are calculat...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231455 |
| _version_ | 1797311469719650304 |
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| author | Kevin T. Du Clos Brad J. Gemmell |
| author_facet | Kevin T. Du Clos Brad J. Gemmell |
| author_sort | Kevin T. Du Clos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Phytoplankton sinking is a major component of vertical ocean carbon and nutrient fluxes, and sinking is an integral component of phytoplankton biology and ecology. Much of our understanding of phytoplankton sinking derives from the settling column method (SETCOL) in which sinking speeds are calculated from the proportion of cells reaching the bottom of a water-filled column after a set time. Video-based methods are a recent alternative to SETCOL in which sinking speeds are measured by tracking the movement of individual cells in a salinity-stratified water column. In this study, we present the results of a meta-analysis showing that SETCOL produces significantly and consistently lower sinking speeds than the video method. Next, we perform a particle image velocimetry analysis, which shows that the observed discrepancy in sinking speeds between the two methods can probably be explained by weak convection currents in the SETCOLs. Finally, we discuss the implications of these results for the interpretation of past and future phytoplankton sinking speed measurements and models that rely on those measurements. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T02:00:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c5989247f5da438e8b9eb0489bfc911b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T02:00:09Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-c5989247f5da438e8b9eb0489bfc911b2024-02-14T06:24:18ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032024-02-0111210.1098/rsos.231455Does the settling column method underestimate phytoplankton sinking speeds?Kevin T. Du Clos0Brad J. Gemmell1Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620, USADepartment of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620, USAPhytoplankton sinking is a major component of vertical ocean carbon and nutrient fluxes, and sinking is an integral component of phytoplankton biology and ecology. Much of our understanding of phytoplankton sinking derives from the settling column method (SETCOL) in which sinking speeds are calculated from the proportion of cells reaching the bottom of a water-filled column after a set time. Video-based methods are a recent alternative to SETCOL in which sinking speeds are measured by tracking the movement of individual cells in a salinity-stratified water column. In this study, we present the results of a meta-analysis showing that SETCOL produces significantly and consistently lower sinking speeds than the video method. Next, we perform a particle image velocimetry analysis, which shows that the observed discrepancy in sinking speeds between the two methods can probably be explained by weak convection currents in the SETCOLs. Finally, we discuss the implications of these results for the interpretation of past and future phytoplankton sinking speed measurements and models that rely on those measurements.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231455diatomphytoplanktonmethodssinkingsettling column methodSETCOL |
| spellingShingle | Kevin T. Du Clos Brad J. Gemmell Does the settling column method underestimate phytoplankton sinking speeds? Royal Society Open Science diatom phytoplankton methods sinking settling column method SETCOL |
| title | Does the settling column method underestimate phytoplankton sinking speeds? |
| title_full | Does the settling column method underestimate phytoplankton sinking speeds? |
| title_fullStr | Does the settling column method underestimate phytoplankton sinking speeds? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does the settling column method underestimate phytoplankton sinking speeds? |
| title_short | Does the settling column method underestimate phytoplankton sinking speeds? |
| title_sort | does the settling column method underestimate phytoplankton sinking speeds |
| topic | diatom phytoplankton methods sinking settling column method SETCOL |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231455 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kevintduclos doesthesettlingcolumnmethodunderestimatephytoplanktonsinkingspeeds AT bradjgemmell doesthesettlingcolumnmethodunderestimatephytoplanktonsinkingspeeds |