Coccolithophore species fluxes in the Australian sector of the southern Antarctic Zone

Coccolithophore fluxes were investigated over a one-year period (2001-02) at the southern Antarctic Zone in the Australian Sector of the Southern Ocean at the site of the Southern

Ocean Iron Release Experiment (SOIREE) near 61°S, 140°E. Two vertically moored sediment traps were deployed at 2000 and 3700 m below sea-level during a period of 10 months. In these data sets we present the results on the temporal and vertical variability of total coccolith flux, species composition and seasonal changes in coccolith weights of E. huxleyi populations estimated using circularly polarised micrographs analysed with C-Calcita software. A description of the field experiment, diatom and biogeochemical fluxes can be found in Rigual-Hernández et al. (2015), while a detailed description of sample processing and counting of coccolithophores can be found in Rigual-Hernández et al. (2018). Moreover, an explanation of the estimation of Emiliania huxleyi coccoliths using C-Calcita software can be also found in Rigual-Hernandez et al. (2018).

Coccolithophore assemblages captured by the traps were nearly monospecific for Emiliania huxleyi morphotype B/C. Coccolith fluxes showed strong seasonal cycle at both sediment trap depths. The maximum coccolith export occurred during summer and was divided into two peaks in early January (2.2 x 109 coccoliths m-2 d-1 at 2000 m) and in mid-February (9.8 x 108 coccoliths m-2 d-1). Coccolith flux was very low in winter (down to ~7 x 107 coccoliths m-2 d-1). Coccolith fluxes in the deeper trap (3700 m) followed a similar pattern to that in the 2000 m trap with a delay of about one sampling interval. Coccoliths intercepted by the traps exhibited a weight and length reduction during summer. The annual coccolith weight at both sediment traps was 2.11 plus or minus 0.96 and 2.13 plus or minus 0.91 pg at 2000 m and 3700 m, respectively. Our coccolith mass estimation was consistent with previous reports for morphotype B/C in other regions of the Southern Ocean.

Data available: two excel files containing sampling dates and depths, raw counts, relative abundance and fluxes (coccoliths m-2 d-1) of the coccolithophore species, and morphometric measurements of Emiliania huxleyi coccoliths made with C-Calcita software.

Each file contains four spreadsheets: raw coccolith counts, relative abundance of coccolithophore species and coccolith flux of each coccolithophore species identified and E. huxleyi morphometrics.

Detailed information of the column headings is provided below.

Cup – Cup (=sample) number

Depth – vertical location of the sediment trap in meters below the surface

Mid-point date - Mid date of the sampling interval

Length (days) – number of days the cup was open

Identification info

Alternate title: Coccolithophore species fluxes in the Australian sector of the southern Antarctic Zone

Date (Publication): 2018-03-28

Edition: 1

Citation identifier

Dataset DOI

Title: Information and documentation - Digital object identifier system

Date (Publication): 2012-04-23

Citation identifier: ISO 26324:2012

Citation identifier: doi:10.4225/15/5ab86f35e277e

Originator

Rigual-Hernandez, A.S. and Trull, T.W.

Publisher

Australian Antarctic Data Centre

Principal investigator

RIGUAL-HERNANDEZ, ANDRES S.

Department of Geology

Universidad de Salamanca

37008

Spain

Principal investigator

TRULL, THOMAS WILLIAM

Antarctic CRC University of Tasmania

GPO BOX 252-80

Hobart

Tasmania

7001

Australia

+61 3 6226 2988

+61 3 6226 2973 (facsimile)

Collaborator

RIGUAL-HERNANDEZ, ANDRES S.

Department of Geology

Universidad de Salamanca

37008

Spain

Collaborator

TRULL, THOMAS WILLIAM

Antarctic CRC University of Tasmania

GPO BOX 252-80

Hobart

Tasmania

7001

Australia

+61 3 6226 2988

+61 3 6226 2973 (facsimile)

Name: CAASM Metadata

Website: https://data.aad.gov.au/metadata/records/Coccolithophore_Fluxes_SAZ

Status: Completed

Custodian

AU/AADC > Australian Antarctic Data Centre, Australia - AADC, DATA OFFICER (DATA CENTER CONTACT)

Australian Antarctic Division

203 Channel Highway

Kingston

Tasmania

7050

Australia

+61 3 6232 3244

+61 3 6232 3351 (facsimile)

Topic category

Biota
Oceans

Extent

Description: Temporal Coverage

Temporal extent

TimePeriod: 2001-11-30 2002-09-29

Title: Coccolithophore populations and their contribution to carbonate export during an annual cycle in the Australian sector of the Antarctic Zone.

Date (Publication): 2018

Author

Rigual-Hernandez, A.S., Flores, J.A., SIerro, F. J., Fuertes, A., Cros, L. and, Trull, T. W.

Name: Biogeosciences

Title: Seasonal dynamics in diatom and particulate export fluxes to the deep sea in the Australian sector of the southern Antarctic Zone.

Date (Publication): 2015

Citation identifier: 142