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Abstract. The particulate matter distribution and phytoplankton community structure of the iron-fertilized Kerguelen region were investigated in early austral spring (October-November 2011) during the KEOPS2 cruise. The iron-fertilized region was characterized by a complex mesoscale circulation resulting in a patchy distribution of particulate matter. Integrated concentrations over 200 m ranged from 72.2 to 317.7 mg m −2 for chlorophyll a 314 to 744 mmol m −2 for biogenic silica (BSi), 1106 to 2268 mmol m −2 for particulate organic carbon, 215 to 436 mmol m −2 for particulate organic nitrogen, and 29.3 to 39.0 mmol m −2 for particulate organic phosphorus. Three distinct high biomass areas were identified: the coastal waters of Kerguelen Islands, the easternmost part of the study area in the polar front zone, and the southeastern Kerguelen Plateau. As expected from previous artificial and natural iron-fertilization experiments, the iron-fertilized areas were characterized by the development of large diatoms revealed by BSi size-fractionation and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) pigment signatures, whereas the ironlimited reference area was associated with a low biomass dominated by a mixed (nanoflagellates and diatoms) phytoplankton assemblage. A major difference from most previous artificial iron fertilization studies was the observation of much higher Si : C, Si : N, and Si : P ratios (0.31 ± 0.16, 1.6 ± 0.7 and 20.5 ± 7.9, respectively) in the iron-fertilized areas compared to the iron-limited reference station (0.13, 1.1, and 5.8, respectively). A second difference is the patchy response of the elemental composition of phytoplankton communities to large scale natural iron fertilization. Comparison to the previous KEOPS1 cruise also allowed to address the seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton bloom over the southeastern plateau. From particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON), and BSi evolutions, we showed that the elemental composition of the particulate matter also varies at the seasonal scale. This temporal evolution followed changes of the phytoplankton community structure as well as major changes in the nutrient stocks progressively leading to silicic acid exhaustion at the end of the productive season.Our observations suggest that the specific response of phytoplankton communities under natural iron fertilization is much more diverse than what has been regularly observed in artificial iron fertilization experiments and that the elemental composition of the bulk particulate matter reflects phytoplankton taxonomic structure rather than being a direct consequence of iron availability.

International audienceWe examined phytoplankton community responses to natural iron fertilisation at 32 sites over and downstream from the Kerguelen Plateau in the Southern Ocean during the austral spring bloom in October–November 2011. The community structure was estimated from chemical and isotopic measurements (particulate organic carbon – POC; ¹³C-POC; particulate nitrogen – PN; ¹⁵N-PN; and biogenic silica – BSi) on size-fractionated samples from surface waters (300, 210, 50, 20, 5, and 1 μm fractions). Higher values of ¹³C-POC (vs. co-located ¹³C values for dissolved inorganic carbon – DIC) were taken as indicative of faster growth rates and higher values of ¹⁵N-PN (vs. co-located ¹⁵N-NO₃ source values) as indicative of greater nitrate use (rather than ammonium use, i.e. higher f ratios).Community responses varied in relation to both regional circulation and the advance of the bloom. Iron-fertilised waters over the plateau developed dominance by very large diatoms (50–210 μm) with high BSi / POC ratios, high growth rates, and significant ammonium recycling (lower f ratios) as biomass built up. In contrast, downstream polar frontal waters with a similar or higher iron supply were dominated by smaller diatoms (20–50 μm) and exhibited greater ammonium recycling. Stations in a deep-water bathymetrically trapped recirculation south of the polar front with lower iron levels showed the large-cell dominance observed on the plateau but much less biomass. Comparison of these communities to surface water nitrate (and silicate) depletions as a proxy for export shows that the low-biomass recirculation feature had exported similar amounts of nitrogen to the high-biomass blooms over the plateau and north of the polar front. This suggests that early spring trophodynamic and export responses differed between regions with persistent low levels vs. intermittent high levels of iron fertilisation

International audienceA massive diatom bloom is observed each year in the surface waters of the naturally Fe-fertilized Kergue-len Plateau (Southern Ocean). We measured biogenic silica production and dissolution fluxes (ρSi and ρDiss, respectively) in the mixed layer in the vicinity of the Kerguelen Plateau during austral spring 2011 (KEOPS-2 cruise). We compare results from a high-nutrient low-chlorophyll reference station and stations with different degrees of iron enrichment and bloom conditions. Above the plateau biogenic ρSi are among the highest reported so far in the Southern Ocean (up to 47.9 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹). Although significant (10.2 mmol m ⁻² d⁻¹ on average), ρDiss were generally much lower than production rates. Uptake ratios (ρSi : ρC and ρSi : ρN) confirm that diatoms strongly dominate primary production in this area. At the bloom onset, decreasing dissolution-to-production ratios (D : P) indicate that the remineralization of silica could sustain most of the low silicon uptake and that the system progressively shifts toward a silica production regime which must be mainly supported by new source of silicic acid. Moreover, by comparing results from the two KEOPS expeditions (spring 2011 and summer 2005), we suggest that there is a seasonal evolution of the processes decoupling Si and N cycles in the area. Indeed, the consumption of H⁴ SiO⁴ standing stocks occurs only during the growing stage of the bloom when strong net silica production is observed, contributing to higher H⁴ SiO⁴ depletion relative to NO⁻₃. Then, the decoupling of H⁴ SiO⁴ and NO⁻₃ is mainly controlled by the more efficient nitrogen recycling relative to Si. Gross Si : N uptake ratios were higher in the Fe-rich regions compared to the high-nutrient low-chlorophyll (HNLC) area, likely due to different diatom communities. This suggests that the diatom responses to natural Fe fertilization are more complex than previously thought, and that natural iron fertilization over long timescales does not necessarily decrease Si : N uptake ratios as suggested by the silicic acid leakage hypothesis. Finally, we propose the first seasonal estimate of the Si biogeochemical budget above the Kerguelen Plateau based on direct measurements. This study points out that naturally iron-fertilized areas of the Southern Ocean could sustain very high regimes of biogenic silica production, similar to those observed in highly productive upwelling systems

In the naturally iron-fertilized surface waters of the northern Kerguelen Plateau region, the early spring diatom community composition and contribution to plankton carbon biomass were investigated and compared with the high nutrient, low chlorophyll (HNLC) surrounding waters. The large iron-induced blooms were dominated by small diatom species belonging to the genera Chaetoceros (Hyalochaete) and Thalassiosira, which rapidly responded to the onset of favorable light-conditions in the meander of the Polar Front. In comparison, the iron-limited HNLC area was typically characterized by autotrophic nanoeukaryote-dominated communities and by larger and more heavily silicified diatom species (e.g. Fragilariopsis spp.). Our results support the hypothesis that diatoms are valuable vectors of carbon export to depth in naturally iron-fertilized systems of the Southern Ocean. Furthermore, our results corroborate observations of the exported diatom assemblage from a sediment trap deployed in the iron-fertilized area, whereby the dominant Chaetoceros (Hyalochaete) cells were less efficiently exported than the less abundant, yet heavily silicified, cells of Thalassionema nitzschioides and Fragilariopsis kerguelensis Our observations emphasize the strong influence of species-specific diatom cell properties combined with trophic interactions on matter export efficiency, and illustrate the tight link between the specific composition of phytoplankton communities and the biogeochemical properties characterizing the study area.

Abstract. Although the Southern Ocean is considered a High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll area (HNLC), massive and recurrent blooms are observed over and downstream the Kerguelen Plateau. This mosaic of blooms is triggered by a higher iron supply resulting from the interaction between the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the local bathymetry. Net primary production, N-uptake (NO3− and NH4+), and nitrification rates were measured at 8 stations in austral spring 2011 (October–November) during the KEOPS2 cruise in the Kerguelen area. Iron fertilization stimulates primary production, with integrated net primary production and growth rates much higher in the fertilized areas (up to 315 mmol C m−2 d−1 and up to 0.31 d−1, respectively) compared to the HNLC reference site (12 mmol C m−2 d−1 and 0.06 d−1, respectively). Primary production is mainly sustained by nitrate uptake, with f ratio (corresponding to NO3− uptake/(NO3− uptake + NH4+ uptake)) lying in the upper end of the observations for the Southern Ocean (up to 0.9). Unexpectedly, we report unprecedented rates of nitrification (up to ~3 mmol C m−2 d−1, with ~90% of them <1 mmol C m−2 d−1). It appears that nitrate is assimilated in the upper part of the mixed layer (coinciding with the euphotic layer) and regenerated in the lower parts. We suggest that such high contribution of nitrification to nitrate assimilation is driven by (i) a deep mixed layer, extending well below the euphotic layer, allowing nitrifiers to compete with phytoplankton for the assimilation of ammonium, (ii) extremely high rates of primary production for the Southern Ocean, stimulating the release of dissolved organic matter, and (iii) an efficient food web, allowing the reprocessing of organic N and the retention of nitrogen into the dissolved phase through ammonium, the substrate for nitrification.

Abstract. Although the Southern Ocean is considered a high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (HNLC) area, massive and recurrent blooms are observed over and downstream of the Kerguelen Plateau. This mosaic of blooms is triggered by a higher iron supply resulting from the interaction between the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the local bathymetry. Net primary production, N uptake (NO − 3 and NH + 4 ), and nitrification rates were measured at eight stations in austral spring 2011 (October-November) during the KEOPS 2 cruise in the Kerguelen Plateau area. Natural iron fertilization stimulated primary production, with mixed layer integrated net primary production and growth rates much higher in the fertilized areas (up to 315 mmol C m −2 d −1 and up to 0.31 d −1 respectively) compared to the HNLC reference site (12 mmol C m −2 d −1 and 0.06 d −1 respectively). Primary production was mainly sustained by nitrate uptake, with f ratios (corresponding to NO − 3 -uptake / (NO − 3 -uptake + NH + 4 -uptake)) lying at the upper end of the observations for the Southern Ocean (up to 0.9). We report high rates of nitrification (up to ∼ 3 µmol N L −1 d −1 , with ∼ 90 % of them < 1 µmol N L −1 d −1 ) typically occurring below the euphotic zone, as classically observed in the global ocean. The specificity of the studied area is that at most of the stations, the euphotic layer was shallower than the mixed layer, implying that nitrifiers can efficiently compete with phytoplankton for the ammonium produced by remineralization at low-light intensities. Nitrate produced by nitrification in the mixed layer below the euphotic zone is easily supplied to the euphotic zone waters above, and nitrification sustained 70 ± 30 % of the nitrate uptake in the productive area above the Kerguelen Plateau. This complicates estimations of new production as potentially exportable production. We conclude that high productivity in deep mixing system stimulates the N cycle by increasing both assimilation and regeneration.

Abstract. The particulate matter distribution and phytoplankton community structure of the iron-fertilized Kerguelen region were investigated in early austral spring (October–November 2011) during the KEOPS2 cruise. The iron-fertilized region was characterized by a complex mesoscale circulation resulting in a patchy distribution of particulate matter. Integrated concentrations over 200 m ranged from 72.2 to 317.7 mg m−2 for chlorophyll a, 314 to 744 mmol m−2 for biogenic silica (BSi), 1106 to 2268 mmol m−2 for particulate organic carbon, 215 to 436 mmol m−2 for particulate organic nitrogen, and 29.3 to 39.0 mmol m−2 for particulate organic phosphorus. Three distinct high biomass areas were identified: the coastal waters of Kerguelen Islands, the easternmost part of the study area in the Polar Front Zone, and the southeastern Kerguelen Plateau. As expected from previous artificial and natural iron-fertilization experiments, the iron-fertilized areas were characterized by the development of large diatoms revealed by BSi size–fractionation and HPLC pigment signatures, whereas the iron-limited reference area was associated to a low biomass dominated by a mixed (nanoflagellates and diatoms) phytoplankton assemblage. A major difference from previous artificial iron fertilization studies was the observation of much higher Si : C, Si : N, and Si : P ratios (respectively 0.31 ± 0.16, 1.6 ± 0.7 and 20.5 ± 7.9) in the iron-fertilized areas compared to the iron-limited reference station (respectively 0.13, 1.1, 5.8). A second difference is the patchy response of the elemental composition of phytoplankton communities to large scale natural iron fertilization. Comparison to the previous KEOPS1 cruise also allowed to address the seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton bloom over the southeastern plateau. From POC, PON, and BSi evolutions, we showed that the elemental composition of the particulate matter also varies at the seasonal scale. This temporal evolution followed changes of the phytoplankton community structure as well as major changes in the nutrient stocks progressively leading to silicic acid exhaustion at the end of the productive season. Our observations suggest that the specific response of phytoplankton communities under natural iron fertilization is much more diverse than what has been regularly observed in artificial iron fertilization experiments and that the elemental composition of the bulk particulate matter reflects phytoplankton taxonomic structure rather than being a direct consequence of iron availability.