Trace Metal Budgets Under Different Irradiance and Temperature Regimes

Vos, Thomas (2024) Trace Metal Budgets Under Different Irradiance and Temperature Regimes. Master's Research Project 1, Marine Biology.

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Abstract

Phytoplankton play a vital role in global carbon cycling and climate regulation by sequestering atmospheric CO2 through the biological carbon pump. While light is a primary limiting factor for phytoplankton growth, trace metals, particularly iron, can also limit primary productivity in significant portions of the ocean. Despite iron's abundance in Earth's crust, its bioavailability in oceanic waters is minimal due to its solubility characteristics. This study investigates differences in metal budgets of Phaeocystis antarctica and Chaetoceros simplex, under low light and high light conditions and temperature ranges of 2°C and 5°C. The effects, measured using an ICP-MS, reveal Species-specific differences; the smaller P. antarctica demonstrated higher iron budgets (relative to phosphorus) compared to larger diatoms C. simplex. The results also reveal increased iron-to-phosphorus ratios in both species at low light, indicating a higher iron requirement for photosynthesis; this iron requirement was found to increase at higher temperature under low light conditions. These findings highlight the complex interplay between light, temperature, and trace metal availability in regulating phytoplankton growth and productivity. The study emphasizes the need for additional in vivo data and in situ research, particularly to clarify the poorly understood effects of temperature on iron-light co-limitation. This understanding is crucial to understand trace metal dynamics in natural marine environments and their implications for marine ecosystem function.

Item Type:	Thesis (Master's Research Project 1)
Supervisor name:	Poll, W.H. van de
Degree programme:	Marine Biology
Thesis type:	Master's Research Project 1
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	11 Mar 2025 08:24
Last Modified:	11 Mar 2025 08:24
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/34853

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