Effects of African dust deposition on phytoplankton in the western tropical Atlantic Ocean off Barbados

Chien, Chia-Te; Mackey, Katherine; Dutkiewicz, Stephanie; Mahowald, N. M.; Prospero, Joseph M.; Paytan, Adina

doi:10.1002/2015gb005334

Cited by 89 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 157 publications

(283 reference statements)

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“…The abundances of DIN, PO 3− 4 , and soluble Fe in the AM dust were generally consistent with the values observed in a strong dust event that occurred over the YS in the spring of 2007 (Shi et al, 2012). The N : P ratio of ∼ 134 in the AM dust was far greater than 16 (Redfield ratio) and similar to those in Asian dust aerosols previously reported (Shi et al, 2012;Liu et al, 2013;Chien et al, 2016). The NO − 3 + NO − 2 concentration in the incubated seawater after AM-dust addition increased up to ∼ 1.13 µmol L −1 (Table 3 and Fig.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Baseline Surface Seawater and Am Dustsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…In the oligotrophic region of the western North Atlantic Ocean off Barbados, a greater concentration of dissolved N and Fe relative to P, arising from the deposited dust, likely favoured the growth of Prochlorococcus, but limited the activity of diazotrophs (Chien et al, 2016). Moreover, the reported positive effect of dust deposition on primary production in the central Atlantic Ocean decreased with increasing oligotrophy of the seawater (Maranon et al, 2010).…”

Section: Zhang Et Al: Phytoplankton Growth Response To Asian Dustmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Phytoplankton growth response to Asian dust addition in the northwest Pacific Ocean versus the Yellow Sea

et al. 2018

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Abstract. In this study, five on-board microcosm experiments were performed in the subtropical gyre, the Kuroshio Extension region of the northwest Pacific Ocean (NWPO), and the Yellow Sea (YS) in order to investigate phytoplankton growth following the addition of artificially modified mineral dust (AM dust) and various nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), N + P, and N + P + Fe). The two experiments carried out with AM-dust addition in the subtropical gyre showed a maximum chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration increase of 1.7-and 2.8-fold, while the cell abundance of large-sized phytoplankton (> 5 µm) showed a 1.8-and 3.9-fold increase, respectively, relative to the controls. However, in the Kuroshio Extension region and the YS, the increases in maximum Chl a and cell abundance of largesized phytoplankton following AM-dust addition were at most 1.3-fold and 1.7-fold larger than those in the controls, respectively. A net conversion efficiency index (NCEI) newly proposed in this study, size-fractionated Chl a, and the abundance of large-sized phytoplankton were analysed to determine which nutrients contribute to supporting phytoplankton growth. Our results demonstrate that a combination of nutrients, N-P or N + P + Fe, is responsible for phytoplankton growth in the subtropical gyre following AM-dust addition. Single nutrient addition, i.e., N in the Kuroshio Extension region and P or N in the YS, controls the phytoplankton growth following AM-dust addition. In the AM-dust-addition experiments, in which the increased N-P or P was identified to determine phytoplankton growth, the dissolved inorganic P from AM dust (8.6 nmol L −1 ) was much lower than the theoretically estimated minimum P demand (∼ 20 nmol L −1 ) for phytoplankton growth. These observations suggest that additional supply augments the bioavailable P stock in incubated seawater with AM-dust addition, most likely due to an enhanced solubility of P from AM dust or the remineralization of the dissolved organic P.

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Section: Characteristics Of Baseline Surface Seawater and Am Dustsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Zhang Et Al: Phytoplankton Growth Response To Asian Dustmentioning

confidence: 96%

Phytoplankton growth response to Asian dust addition in the northwest Pacific Ocean versus the Yellow Sea

et al. 2018

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“…The latter indicate a certain depletion in Al and Ca compared to typical African mineral dust. The Mn/Fe, Pb/Fe, Ni/Fe, and Cd/Fe ratios were similar to the equivalent ratios in the African aerosols sampled by Chien et al (2016), while the Cu/Fe ratios in this study are somewhat higher. The Mn/Fe and P/Fe ratios (wt./wt.)…”

Section: The Chemical Composition and Nutrient Leachability Of The Aesupporting

confidence: 80%

“…In low-nutrient low-chlorophyll (LNLC) marine environments, nutrient and trace metal inputs via atmospheric aerosols are considered important sources of macro and micro nutrients (Duce et al, 1991(Duce et al, , 2008Jickells et al, 2005;Kanakidou et al, 2012), fueling microbial production and influencing the bacterioplankton community structure (Moore et al, 2013;Guieu et al, 2014a;Chien et al, 2016;Rahav et al, 2016a). The Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS), located in the so-called dustbelt (Astitha et al, 2012), is considered extremely oligotrophic (reviewed in Siokou-Frangou et al, 2010) and is strongly influenced by natural desert sources that contain some of the highest atmospheric dust (mineral aerosol) concentrations near the Earth's surface (Klingmüller et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Potential Impact of Saharan Dust and Polluted Aerosols on Microbial Populations in the East Mediterranean Sea, an Overview of a Mesocosm Experimental Approach

et al. 2016

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Recent estimates of nutrient budgets for the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) indicate that atmospheric aerosols play a significant role as suppliers of macro-and micro-nutrients to its Low Nutrient Low Chlorophyll water. Here we present the first mesocosm experimental study that examines the overall response of the oligotrophic EMS surface mixed layer (Cretan Sea, May 2012) to two different types of natural aerosol additions, "pure" Saharan dust (SD, 1.6 mg l −1 ) and mixed aerosols (A-polluted and desert origin, 1 mg l −1 ). We describe the rationale, the experimental set-up, the chemical characteristics of the ambient water and aerosols and the relative maximal biological impacts that resulted from the added aerosols. The two treatments, run in triplicates (3 m 3 each), were compared to control-unamended runs. Leaching of ∼2.1-2.8 and 2.2-3.7 nmol PO 4 and 20-26 and 53-55 nmol NO x was measured per each milligram of SD and A, respectively, representing an addition of ∼30% of the ambient phosphate concentrations. The nitrate/phosphate ratios added in the A treatment were twice than those added in the SD treatment. Both types of dry aerosols triggered a positive change (25-600% normalized per 1 mg l −1 addition) in most of the rate and state variables that were measured: bacterial abundance (BA), bacterial production (BP), Synechococcus (Syn) abundance, chlorophyll-a (chl-a), primary production (PP), and dinitrogen fixation (N 2 -fix), with relative changes among them following the sequence BP>PP≈N2-fix>chl-a≈BA≈Syn. Our results show that the "polluted" aerosols triggered a relatively larger biological Herut et al.Impact of Aerosols on LNLC Seawater change compared to the SD amendments (per a similar amount of mass addition), especially regarding BP and PP. We speculate that despite the co-limitation of P and N in the EMS, the additional N released by the A treatment may have triggered the relatively larger response in most of the rate and state variables as compared to SD. An implication of our study is that a warmer atmosphere in the future may increase dust emissions and influence the intensity and length of the already well stratified water column in the EMS and hence the impact of the aerosols as a significant external source of new nutrients.

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“…Three bottles per treatment were sampled at "time zero" (collected immediately after nutrient or aerosol additions were made) and on the final day of the incubation 3 days later. The incubation time of 3 days was selected because it is long enough to observe changes in phytoplankton community structure based on prior studies Paytan et al, 2009;Mackey et al, 2012bMackey et al, , 2014Mackey K. R. et al, 2012;Chien et al, 2016), while avoiding major bottle effects that occur with longer-term incubation experiments. (Zhu et al, 2013).…”

Section: Incubation Setup and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric and Fluvial Nutrients Fuel Algal Blooms in the East China Sea

et al. 2017

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Chinese coastal waters support vast fisheries and vital economies, but their productivity is threatened by increasingly frequent harmful algal blooms (HABs). Here we provide direct experimental evidence that atmospheric deposition, along with riverine input, opens new niches for bloom-forming dinoflagellates and diatoms in the East China Sea (ECS) by increasing the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus (N:P), inducing severe P limitation, and altering trace metal micronutrient inventories. Remote sensing analysis of blooms in the region showed that dinoflagellate blooms were associated with increased aerosol optical thickness and decreased sea surface temperature, whereas diatom blooms were primarily associated with seasonally decreased temperature (e.g., during spring blooms). Bottle incubation experiments revealed that aerosol additions approximating 10 days of strong deposition increased iron availability and intensified P limitation, which together promoted dinoflagellate growth in offshore waters. Diatom growth was correlated with elevated trace metal and nutrient content from aerosols. Aerosols did not induce phytoplankton growth at a station within the Yangtze River plume where light was limiting, consistent with remote sensing observations that aerosol effects are stronger in offshore waters. Eutrophication and trace metal enrichment from Yangtze River discharge together with atmospheric deposition may underlie the transition from diatom-dominated spring blooms toward more frequent spring and summer dinoflagellate blooms that has occurred over the past three decades in the ECS.

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Effects of African dust deposition on phytoplankton in the western tropical Atlantic Ocean off Barbados

Cited by 89 publications

References 157 publications

Phytoplankton growth response to Asian dust addition in the northwest Pacific Ocean versus the Yellow Sea

Phytoplankton growth response to Asian dust addition in the northwest Pacific Ocean versus the Yellow Sea

The Potential Impact of Saharan Dust and Polluted Aerosols on Microbial Populations in the East Mediterranean Sea, an Overview of a Mesocosm Experimental Approach

Atmospheric and Fluvial Nutrients Fuel Algal Blooms in the East China Sea

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