title: Mesoscale eddies drive increased silica export in the subtropical Pacific Ocean.
abstract: Mesoscale eddies may play a critical role in ocean biogeochemistry by increasing nutrient supply, primary production, and efficiency of the biological pump, that is, the ratio of carbon export to primary production in otherwise nutrient-deficient waters. We examined a diatom bloom within a cold-core cyclonic eddy off Hawaii. Eddy primary production, community biomass, and size composition were markedly enhanced but had little effect on the carbon export ratio. Instead, the system functioned as a selective silica pump. Strong trophic coupling and inefficient organic export may be general characteristics of community perturbation responses in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geological Sciences and Marine Science Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. cbnelson@geol.sc.edu
authors.forename: Claudia R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Benitez-Nelson
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Bidigare
authors.forename: Tommy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Dickey
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.forename: Carrie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nencioli
authors.forename: Yoshimi M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Rii
authors.forename: Kanchan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maiti
authors.forename: Jamie W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Bibby
authors.forename: Wil
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: Wei-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Feizhou
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Victor S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mahaffey
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: McAndrew
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Quay
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rappé
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Selph
authors.forename: Melinda P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: Eun Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development; D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D017377:Diatoms / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D006254:Hawaii; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites / Q000032:analysis; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010839:Phytoplankton / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D012824:Silicic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D013696:Temperature; D014872:Water Movements; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D012824:Silicic Acid; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002244:Carbon; D012822:Silicon Dioxide