Particles biogenic organics

Marine snow Large, loosely aggregated solids composed of biogenous and Uthogenous particles. The organic material is often colonized by microbes. 

A hypothetical aerosol size/composition distribution is shown in Figure 12.1, indicating that crustal materials (e.g., COf, Si, Al, Fe, Ca, and Mn), sea spray (e.g., Mg, Na, and Cl), and biogenic organic particles (e.g., pollen, spores, and plant fragments) are usually found in the coarse aerosol fraction (2.5 < r/ae < 10pm) (Meszaros et al., 1997 Krivacsy and Molnar, 1998 Matsumoto et al., 1998 Seinfeld and Pandis, 1998 Maenhaut et al., 2002 Smolik et al., 2003). Wind erosion, primary emissions, mechanical disruption, sea spray, and volcanic eruptions all contribute to the concentrations of these species (Seinfeld, 1986 Seinfeld and Pandis, 1998). 

Electron acceptors or donors oxidizing or reducing solutes IFe(III) oxides, Mn(IIl, IV) oxides, FeS2 and sulfides, biogenic organic particles]... 

The two prime mechanisms of carbon transport within the ocean are downward biogenic detrital rain from the photic zone to the deeper oceans and advection by ocean currents of dissolved carbon species. The detrital rain creates inhomogeneities of nutrients illustrated by the characteristic alkalinity profiles (Fig. 11-9). The amount of carbon leaving the photic zone as sinking particles should not be interpreted as the net primary production of the surface oceans since most of the organic carbon is recycled... 

Fig. 14-6 Profiles of potential temperature and phosphate at 21 29 N, 122 15 W in the Pacific Ocean and a schematic representation of the oceanic processes controlling the P distribution. The dominant processes shown are (1) upwelling of nutrient-rich waters, (2) biological productivity and the sinking of biogenic particles, (3) regeneration of P by the decomposition of organic matter within the water column and surface sediments, (4) decomposition of particles below the main thermocline, (5) slow exchange between surface and deep waters, and (6) incorporation of P into the bottom sediments.

Silicon isotope variations in the ocean are caused by biological Si-uptake through siliceous organisms like diatoms. Insofar strong similarities exist with C-isotope variations. Diatoms preferentially incorporate Si as they form biogenic silica. Thus, high 5 °Si values in surface waters go parallel with low Si-concentrations and depend on differences in silicon surface water productivity. In deeper waters dissolution of sinking silica particles causes an increase in Si concentration and a decrease of 5 °Si-values. 

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