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Reference:
Schulz and Zabel Marine Geochemistry Springer, New York 2000 453 pp. ISBN 3-540-66-453-X
Availability of nitrate as an oxidant is limited since it is an important limiting nutrient for primary productivity.
Oxygen distribution
Oxygen distribution results from:
Depleted by bacterial respiration below the mixed layer (upper 1000m or lower end of the permanent thermocline)
Deep water currents raise oxygen concentrations (EX. North Atlantic Deep Water Current)
Nitrate distribution
An increase in dissolved nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) is observed with depth due to organic carbon oxidation with water depth. Older water masses are generally more enriched in nitrate (as well as phosphate).
Iron
The reactivity of iron at the interface of the bio- and geosphere help to understand the interactions between living organisms and the solid earth. Bacteria and phytoplankton depend on the uptake of iron as a prerequisite for their cell growth.
Some organisms conserve energy from the reduction of oxidized ferric iron.
Redox-reactions cause dissolution and precipitation of iron bearing minerals forming discrete iron enriched layers which challenge geochemists to reconstruct environmental conditions of their formation.
Highly efficient
Reduced to near 0 within the surface layer Increase within the oxygen minimum zone
An increase of 2-4 in primary productivity results form the addition of atmospheric iron.
Kinetic effects
18O
16O
ratios
The oxygen isotopic composition of seawater (d18Ow) is controlled by fractionation effects due to:
evaporation and precipitation at sea surface freezing of ice in Polar Regions admixing of water masses with different ratios (melt water, river run-off) global isotopic content of the oceans
18O
16O
ratios
18O
16O
ratios
13C
12C
ratios
Biochemical fractionation due to the formation and decay of organic matter. Physical fractionation during gas exchange at the air-sea boundary.
13C
12C
ratios
Surface water is enriched in 13C because photosynthesis preferentially removes 12C from the CO2 Deeper water masses have lower d13C values due to decomposition of organic matter.
13C
12C
ratios
13C
12C
ratios
d13C varied considerably in geologic history due to: Changes in surface water productivity Changes in the gas exchange rate between oceans and atmosphere due to changes in surface temperatures and ocean circulation
15N
14N
ratios
New tool in the field Records changes in the nutrient dynamics in the water column like:
15N
14N
ratios
d15N from oxygenated deep waters ranges between 3 o/oo and 7 o/oo.
34S
32S
ratios
oxidized as dissolved sulfate precipitated as sulfate in evaporites reduced form as sedimentary pyrite
34S
32S
ratios
d34S in the modern ocean is mostly constant with a value of +20 o/oo and a standard deviation of +/- 0.12 o/oo Cambrian maximum of about +30 o/oo
Permian minimum of about +10 o/oo