Understanding Carbon Flows Between the Euphotic Zone and 1000 m depth

JGOFS计划旨在了解将碳从海洋表面转移到海洋内部和底部的生物和化学过程。它的焦点一直是真光区，即作为光合作用过程的一部分，二氧化碳被还原为有机碳的区域。已经在亚真光区收集了数据，但没有协调一致的努力来联系影响那里碳分布的过程，无论是再矿化还是向底栖生物的通量。在这个项目中，PIs将更详细地了解真光带以下的碳流，将生物体的作用纳入生物模型。该模型的结果将描述不同动物和细菌群体之间的碳流动。初步模型表明，季节性生产力的时间和大小会极大地影响进入海底的物质的数量。研究区域包括JGOFS实地方案的地点，从北大西洋布卢姆实验开始。重点放在100-1000米深的区域是很重要的，因为大量的有机物以粒子的形式从真光区进入，但只有少量的有机物通过从底部坠落出来。该项目的成果应通过突出决定海洋初级生产命运的重要过程以及暴露关键的无知领域，促进对亚真光区的进一步研究。研究结果还将有助于开发更好的全球碳循环模型。这一方法应适用于未来联合全球海洋观测系统的研究，特别是与有机物命运有关的研究。

The JGOFS program is designed to understand the biological and chemical processes that move carbon from the ocean's surface to it's interior and bottom. It's focus has been the euphotic zone, the region where carbon dioxide is reduced to organic carbon as part of the photosynthetic process. Data have been collected in the sub-euphotic zone, but there has been no concerted effort to relate the processes affecting carbon distributions there, either remineralization or fluxes to the benthos. For this project, the PIs will develop a more detailed understanding of carbon flows below the euphotic zone, incorporating the role of organisms into biological models. The model results will describe carbon flows between different groups of animals and bacteria. Preliminary models suggest that the timing and magnitude of seasonal productivity can dramatically affect the amount of material that passes through on its way to the ocean bottom. The study areas include the sites of the JGOFS field programs, starting with that of the North Atlantic Bloom Experiment. The focus on the 100 - 1000 m depth region is important because large amounts of organic matter enter as particles settling out of the euphotic zone, but only small amounts exit by falling through the bottom. The project results should stimulate further studies of the sub-euphotic zone by highlighting the important processes determining the fate of oceanic primary production as well as by exposing crucial areas of ignorance. The results also will help the development of better global models of the carbon cycle. This approach should be applicable to future JGOFS studies, particularly those concerned with the fate of organic matter.