Biogeochemistry of the Ross Sea and its ecosystem implication

Abstract

The Ross Sea is one of the best-sampled Antarctic continental shelves and represents an important region for biogeochemistry with respect to the ocean circulation and the global climate regulation. It is a key site for production of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) and supports the largest primary productivity in the Southern Ocean. Moreover, it plays a fundamental role in the air–sea carbon dioxide (CO₂) flux, behaving as an atmospheric CO₂ sink. Some of the most important features of the main chemical variables (nutrients, iron, carbonate system variables) are summarized, considering both recent advances in our understanding and the implications of their variability for the biogeochemistry of the Ross Sea. New observations will provide an opportunity to better understand the complex interactions that regulate the biogeochemical cycles of elements in the Ross Sea and their change in the near future.