Publications

Torres, R, Ampuero, P (2009). Strong CO2 outgassing from high nutrient low chlorophyll coastal waters off central Chile (30 degrees S): The role of dissolved iron. ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE, 83(2), 126-132.

Abstract
Carbonate system parameters (pH and alkalinity) were used to estimate the coastal water CO2 fluxes off central Chile (30 degrees S) during September 2007. Coastal waters rich in nitrate and silicate were strongly CO2 supersaturated and normally poor in chlorophyll a. MODIS satellite chlorophyll a data suggest that phytoplankton biomass remained particularly low during September 2007 although coastal waters were highly fertilized with nitrate and silicate. The phytoplankton gross primary productivity in macronutrient-rich waters was very low with the exception of shallow waters (e.g. within or near bays). Several iron-enrichment bottle experiments show that fCO(2) rapidly decreases during iron-enrichment treatments compared to controls. This suggests that iron limitation of phytoplankton growth (mainly diatoms) plays a role in maintaining high-CO2. outgassing by preventing rapid interception of upwelled CO2. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI:
10.1016/j.ecss.2009.02.030

ISSN:
0272-7714