Phytoplankton-produced organic carbon in the ocean's surface is either consumed or exported as marine snow. Vertical export efficiency depends on particle size, structure, and shape. This study presents a new method for objectively categorizing marine snow morphotypes using in situ imaging data from Arctic phytoplankton blooms. The method uses 24 morphological properties and a PCA-based k-means clustering to define five ecologically meaningful morphotypes. The study finds that marine snow morphotype distribution and vertical export change during different bloom phases and relates these changes to carbon export and plankton community dynamics.
Publisher
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
Published On
May 14, 2021
Authors
Emilia Trudnowska, Léo Lacour, Mathieu Ardyna, Andreas Rogge, Jean Olivier Irisson, Anya M. Waite, Marcel Babin, Lars Stemmann
Tags
marine snow
phytoplankton
carbon export
morphotypes
Arctic
particle size
bloom phases
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