Details of Award
NERC Reference : NER/A/S/2003/00489
Redox and colloidal iron biogeochemistry in surface Atlantic waters and its role in ocean productivity.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor PJ Worsfold, University of Plymouth, Sch of Earth Ocean and Environment
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor EP Achterberg, University of Southampton, Sch of Ocean and Earth Science
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr M Gledhill, University of Southampton, Sch of Ocean and Earth Science
- Grant held at:
- University of Plymouth, Sch of Earth Ocean and Environment
- Science Area:
- Marine
- Overall Classification:
- Marine
- ENRIs:
- Natural Resource Management
- Global Change
- Biodiversity
- Science Topics:
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Ocean - Atmosphere Interact.
- Survey & Monitoring
- Climate & Climate Change
- Abstract:
- Iron is an essential nutrient for marine organisms and plays an important role in primary productivity in the ocean and hence the uptake and production of gases associated with climate change such as carbon dioxide. There are currently, however, large gaps in our knowledge of iron chemistry, its distribution in the oceans and its relationship with biota. The extreme insolubility and biogeochemical reactivity of iron in seawater results in very low dissolved iron concentrations (<1.0 nanomolar) in the open ocean. It is particularly important to determine the lower redox state, Fe(II), because of its greater solubility, potential bioavailability to organisms and its role in photochemically and microbially driven redox processes. However, Fe(II) is a transient species in oxygenated waters, existing at low picomolar concentrations, and therefore undertaking measurements that do not perturb the redox balance is extremely challenging. This project will use robust and automated instrumentation, developed by the applicants, to measure the concentrations of iron species (particularly Fe(II), colloidal and soluble fractions) in surface waters of the Atlantic Ocean and correlate these data with productivity (determined by measuring e.g. chlorophyll a). It will also investigate the nature and quantity of iron binding chemicals (siderophores) released by marine bacteria. It is essential that iron data are of high quality and the research will therefore include rigorous intercomparison exercises with other expert laboratories to harmonise results reported by different research groups.
- NERC Reference:
- NER/A/S/2003/00489
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £205,337
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - T&S | Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Equipment | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £22,711 | £87,537 | £25,172 | £13,090 | £56,827 |
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