THE OCEANOGRAPHY SOCIETY PACIFIC BASIN MEETING, July 1994, p.61

Vertical fluxes of carbon and nitrogen at Station ALOHA

J. Christian

The hypothesized "biological pump" mechanism for removing carbon from the euphotic zone to the deep ocean requires different rates of recycling of C and N in sinking particles, and therefore requires significant reworking of photosynthetically produced organic matter by heterotrophic organisms. HOT data suggest that a relatively small fraction (20-30%) of the estimated air-sea carbon flux at Station ALOHA is removed from the euphotic zone by sinking particles. Possible mechanisms for the differential remineralization of organic C and N will be discussed in light of microbiological investigations of particles collected in sediment traps at Station ALOHA.