Impact of manmade inputs on ocean alkalinity and effect on calcifying marine organisms

Biological procedures in the surface waters of the Southern Ocean (SO) significantly influence global productivity and the storage of oceanic carbon dioxide (CO2). This study illustrates that biological calcification in the SO significantly influences the worldwide distribution of alkalinity (AK). The hallmark of SO calcification is manifested in observations as a reduction of potential AK in Subantarctic Phase and Intermediate Waters sections. Studies utilizing an ocean overall circulation modeling demonstrate that the calcification and consequent descent of biogenic carbonate in this area efficiently facilitates the movement of AK across the upper and lower units of the meridional overturning cycle. The calcification in the SO sequesters AK in the deep sea; a reduction in calcification allows greater AK to escape from the SO, resulting in elevated AK in the upper cell and low-latitude waterways. These processes affect carbon partitioning between the upper atmosphere and the ocean due to manmade inputs. Decreases in calcification in the SO augment the buffering capacity of surface waters worldwide, improving the ocean's capability to sequester atmospheric carbon. This investigation emphasizes the essential function of SO calcification in shaping worldwide AK patterns, indicating that alterations in this process have extensive repercussions on the air-sea exchange of CO2.