2021/10/28 by Elizabeth M. Jones, Mario Hoppema, Karel Bakker +2
Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics #Marine and coastal ecosystems #Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s0954102021000456
openalex publication_date 2021/10/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Abstract The waters along the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) have experienced warming and increased freshwater inputs from melting sea ice and glaciers in recent decades. Challenges exist in understanding the consequences of these changes on the inorganic carbon system in this ecologically important and highly productive ecosystem. Distributions of dissolved inorganic carbon (C T ), total alkalinity (A T ) and nutrients revealed key physical, biological and biogeochemical controls of the calcium carbonate saturation state (Ω aragonite ) in different water masses across the WAP shelf during the summer. Biological production in spring and summer dominated changes in surface water Ω aragonite (ΔΩ aragonite up to +1.39; ~ 90%) relative to underlying Winter Water. Sea-ice and glacial meltwater constituted a minor source of A T that increased surface water Ω aragonite (ΔΩ aragonite up to +0.07; ~ 13%). Remineralization of organic matter and an influx of carbon-rich brines led to cross-shelf decreases in Ω aragonite in Winter Water and Circumpolar Deep Water. A strong biological carbon pump over the shelf created Ω aragonite oversaturation in surface waters and suppression of Ω aragonite in subsurface waters. Undersaturation of aragonite occurred at < ~1000 m. Ongoing changes along the WAP will impact the biologically driven and meltwater-driven processes that influence the vulnerability of shelf waters to calcium carbonate undersaturation in the future.