Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

The impact of (sub-)mesoscale eddies on the soft-tissue carbon pump Anne Willem Omta Bas Kooijman Theoretical Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam)

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "The impact of (sub-)mesoscale eddies on the soft-tissue carbon pump Anne Willem Omta Bas Kooijman Theoretical Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam)"— Presentation transcript:

1 The impact of (sub-)mesoscale eddies on the soft-tissue carbon pump Anne Willem Omta Bas Kooijman Theoretical Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam) Henk Dijkstra IMAU, Universiteit Utrecht www.bio.vu.nl/thb Grant No. 635.100.009 (Computational Life Sciences)

2 The soft-tissue carbon pump

3 Ocean eddy field Real ocean eddy field very complicated: simulate one single eddy for better understanding

4 Flow model Non-hydrostatic 3-D model Domain 32 km * 32 km * 1 km Periodic boundary conditions

5 Phytoplankton Internal Nitrogen and Carbon (PINC) model PINC organisms consist of: biomass structure (91% C, 9% N) carbon reserve (100% C) nitrogen reserve (100% N) Ratio of components determines C:N ratio of organisms

6 Initial conditions Biomass: –C:N ratio of 11:1 –Sinking of organic carbon and nitrogen balanced by upward diffusion of DIC and DIN Eddy radius ~8 km, no vertical velocity

7 Vertical velocity patterns 3.6 days 7.2 days 12 days

8 Plankton distributions Upwelling of DIN leads to strong biomass increase, first in lobes, later also in centre of eddy 7.2 days 12 days

9 Net effect on DIC/DIN after 12 days DIN and DIC increase, because not all the upwelled DIN and DIC are consumed DIC decrease DIN increase DIN decrease DIC increase

10 C:N ratio (R) R decreases in time, because organisms receive more N

11 The submesoscale eddy weakens the soft- tissue carbon pump, because: Not all the upwelling DIN is consumed - could also be shown with fixed-stoichiometry plankton model The C:N ratio of phytoplankton decreases - could only shown with flexible-stoichiometry plankton model Conclusion More information: www.bio.vu.nl/thb


Download ppt "The impact of (sub-)mesoscale eddies on the soft-tissue carbon pump Anne Willem Omta Bas Kooijman Theoretical Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam)"

Similar presentations


Ads by Google