Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-12-1653-2015
https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-12-1653-2015
23 Jan 2015
 | 23 Jan 2015
Status: this preprint was under review for the journal BG but the revision was not accepted.

Seasonality of sea ice controls interannual variability of summertime ΩA at the ice shelf in the Eastern Weddell Sea – an ocean acidification sensitivity study

A. Weeber, S. Swart, and P. M. S. Monteiro

Abstract. Increasing anthropogenic CO2 is decreasing surface water aragonite saturation state (ΩA), a growing concern for calcifying Euthecosome pteropods and its wider impact on Antarctic ecosystems. However, our understanding of the seasonal cycle and interannual variability of this vulnerable ecosystem remains limited. This study examines surface water ΩA from four consecutive summers in the Eastern Weddell Gyre (EWG) ice shelf region, and investigates the drivers and the role played by the seasonal cycle in the interannual variability of ΩA. Interannual variability in the seasonal phasing and the rate of summer sea ice thaw was found to be the primary factor explaining interannual variability in surface water ΩA. In "optimal" summers when summer sea ice thaw began in late November/early December (2008/2009 and 2010/2011), the summertime increase in ΩA was found to be 1.02, approximately double that from summers when sea ice thaw was delayed to late December (2009/2010 and 2011/2012). We propose that the two critical climate (physical-biogeochemical) sensitivities for ΩA are the timing and the rate of sea ice thaw, which has a direct impact on the mixed layer and the resulting onset and persistence of phytoplankton blooms. The strength of summertime carbonate saturation depends on seasonal changes of sea ice, stratification and primary production. The sensitivity of surface water biogeochemistry in this region to interannual changes in mixed layer – sea ice processes, suggests that future trends in climate and the seasonal cycle of sea ice, combined with rapidly increasing anthropogenic CO2 will likely be a concern for the Antarctic ice shelf ecosystem within the next few decades. If in the future, primary production is reduced and CO2 increased, our results suggest that in the EWG summertime surface water aragonite undersaturation will emerge by the middle of this century.

A. Weeber, S. Swart, and P. M. S. Monteiro
 
Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
 
Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
A. Weeber, S. Swart, and P. M. S. Monteiro
A. Weeber, S. Swart, and P. M. S. Monteiro

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Short summary
As anthropogenic CO2 increases and sea ice dynamics change with climate, understanding the trend in these characteristics of variability in the seasonal drivers of ΩA will become increasingly important. We investigate the major drivers of interannual to seasonal scale variability of ΩA. We show that the critical climate (physical-biogeochemical) sensitivities for ΩA at the Antarctic ice self are the timing and rate of sea ice thaw and the resulting onset and persistence of phytoplankton blooms.
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