Understanding Carbon Flows Between the Euphotic Zone and 1000 m depth

JGOFS项目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。它的重点是光区，在光合作用过程中，二氧化碳被还原为有机碳的区域。在亚光带收集了数据，但没有一致的努力将影响那里碳分布的过程，无论是再矿化还是通量与底栖生物联系起来。在这个项目中，pi将对光带以下的碳流进行更详细的了解，并将生物的作用纳入生物模型。该模型的结果将描述不同动物群体和细菌群体之间的碳流动。初步的模型表明，季节性生产力的时间和大小可以极大地影响通过海底的物质的数量。研究区域包括JGOFS实地项目的地点，从北大西洋水华实验开始。对100 - 1000米深度区域的关注是很重要的，因为大量的有机物以粒子沉降的形式进入了透光区，但只有少量的有机物通过底部的下落离开了透光区。该项目的结果应通过突出决定海洋初级产品命运的重要过程以及通过揭示被忽视的关键领域，刺激对亚光带的进一步研究。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的联合地表生态系统研究，特别是有关有机物命运的研究。

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.