12 January 2024 | A Circum-Antarctic Plankton Isoscape: Carbon Export Potential Across the Summertime Southern Ocean

Luca Stirnimann, Thomas G. Bornman, Heather J. Forrer, Joshua Mirkin, Thomas J. Ryan-Keogh, Raquel F. Flynn, Rosemary A. Dorrington, Hans M. Verheye, Sarah E. Fawcett

Key Points

  • Phytoplankton community composition influences suspended particulate matter carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios across the Southern Ocean
  • The nitrogen isotopes of particulate matter and a two-endmember isotope mixing model can be used to estimate carbon export potential
  • 40% of summertime primary production is potentially exported, with a higher fraction exported near (Sub)Antarctic islands and melting ice

To read the article, you can download the paper here.

Dr Luca Stirnimann et al 2024