Snow in the Ocean

In the world’s oceans, from the Arctic to Antarctica, there is a natural phenomenon known as marine snow. Tiny bits of carbon-rich matter bind together and sink down into the oceans depths, transporting carbon dioxide from the air to the bottom of the sea.

Marine snow is enriched in sticky clumps of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are made by single-cell organisms called phytoplankton that live lower in the ocean to stick together in colonies. Eventually the carbohydrates break off the phytoplankton and clump together forming jelly-like particles. Those particles are the glue that binds marine snow together. There is concern that as the ocean acidifies, from increasing levels of CO₂ dissolving in seawater, the amount of material excreted by phytoplankton may also increase. This, in turn, could cause more glue to assemble and consequently to enhance the formation of marine snow. Marine snow does not only take away carbon we pump into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide, but is also an essential food source for the deep sea. For this reason marine snow has the capacity to dramatically alter the natural cycle of the oceans and the environment for marine life.

I am preparing now for my imminent departure to do research on ocean acidification on the Arctic ice. During my experiments I will take phytoplankton into the future by exposing them to CO2 levels forecasted for the end of the century. I will investigate the response of phytoplankton in terms of carbohydrate and subsequent glue production. I will “incubate” CO2-adjusted natural seawater in bottles placed in ice holes to trigger the growth of phytoplankton. Regular sampling from the incubation bottles will reveal any changes in the fate of carbon compared to unadjusted seawater.

                                 Base camp of CatLin Arctic Survey in 2010

All this will happen nearby an ice camp in proximity to the magnetic North Pole, which will be established by the UK-based Catlin Arctic Survey. I will use this blog to report about life and work in the camp. Temperatures down to -40 Cels. are not uncommon making life and work in the camp extremely difficult. However, I am confident of a good outcome of my research as I have completed preliminary work during the CatLin camp in 2010, primarily to test sampling and some preparatory steps to preserve samples for later analysis in the laboratory.  Preparedness means success in the unforgiving and harsh Arctic environment.

 

Many studies have investigated the potential impacts of ocean acidification on marine life, but less on possible changes in the fate of carbon. Our research at the ice camp will generate data on an under-researched field, and inform climate modelers on a potentially unaccounted for carbon sink.