Antarctic glaciers export carbon-stabilised iron(II)-rich particles to the surface Southern Ocean

Iron is an essential micronutrient for phytoplankton and plays an integral role in the marine carbon cycle. The supply and bioavailability of iron are therefore important modulators of climate over glacial-interglacial cycles. Inputs of iron from the Antarctic continental shelf alleviate iron limitation in the Southern Ocean, driving hotspots of productivity. Glacial meltwater fluxes can deliver high volumes of particulate iron. Here, we show that glacier meltwater provides particles rich in iron(II) to the Antarctic shelf surface ocean. Particulate iron(II) is understood to be more bioavailable to phytoplankton, but less stable in oxic seawater, than iron(III). Using x-ray microscopy, we demonstrate co-occurrence of iron and organic carbon-rich phases, suggesting that organic carbon retards the oxidation of potentially-bioavailable iron(II) in oxic seawater. Accelerating meltwater fluxes may provide an increasingly important source of bioavailable iron(II)-rich particles to the Antarctic surface ocean, with implications for the Southern Ocean carbon pump and ecosystem productivity.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-05-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59981-y
Citations
6
Primary Topic
Marine and coastal ecosystems
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
10.76

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article

Antarctic glaciers export carbon-stabilised iron(II)-rich particles to the surface Southern Ocean

Michael P. Meredith, Maeve C. Lohan, Burkhard Kaulich, Oliver Moore et al.
6 citations
Nature Communications
Marine and coastal ecosystems
10.76
article

Antarctic glaciers export carbon-stabilised iron(II)-rich particles to the surface Southern Ocean

Michael P. Meredith, Maeve C. Lohan, Burkhard Kaulich, Oliver Moore, Amber Annett, Jessica N. Fitzsimmons, Rhiannon Jones, Jon Hawkings, Majid Kazemian Abyaneh, Robert M. Sherrell, Tohru Araki
article en
6 citations

Abstract

Iron is an essential micronutrient for phytoplankton and plays an integral role in the marine carbon cycle. The supply and bioavailability of iron are therefore important modulators of climate over glacial-interglacial cycles. Inputs of iron from the Antarctic continental shelf alleviate iron limitation in the Southern Ocean, driving hotspots of productivity. Glacial meltwater fluxes can deliver high volumes of particulate iron. Here, we show that glacier meltwater provides particles rich in iron(II) to the Antarctic shelf surface ocean. Particulate iron(II) is understood to be more bioavailable to phytoplankton, but less stable in oxic seawater, than iron(III). Using x-ray microscopy, we demonstrate co-occurrence of iron and organic carbon-rich phases, suggesting that organic carbon retards the oxidation of potentially-bioavailable iron(II) in oxic seawater. Accelerating meltwater fluxes may provide an increasingly important source of bioavailable iron(II)-rich particles to the Antarctic surface ocean, with implications for the Southern Ocean carbon pump and ecosystem productivity.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 16(1)
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US), British Antarctic Survey (GB), National Oceanography Centre (GB), Diamond Light Source (GB), Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate (NO), Institute for Molecular Science (JP), University of Southampton (GB), University of York (GB), UiT The Arctic University of Norway (NO), University of Pennsylvania (US), Texas A&M University (US)
Diamond Light Source, UK Research and Innovation, Natural Environment Research Council, Science and Technology Facilities Council
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 1%
Marine and coastal ecosystems
10.76
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