TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhanced trace element mobilization by Earth’s ice sheets
AU - Hawkings, Jon R.
AU - Skidmore, Mark
AU - Wadham, Jemma L.
AU - Priscu, John C.
AU - Morton, Peter L.
AU - Hatton, Jade
AU - Gardner, Christopher B.
AU - Kohler, Tyler J.
AU - Stibal, Marek
AU - Bagshaw, Elizabeth A.
AU - Steigmeyer, August
AU - Barker, Joel
AU - Dore, John
AU - Lyons, W. Berry
AU - Tranter, Martyn
AU - Spencer, Robert G. M.
AU - Team, the SALSA Science
PY - 2020/12/15
Y1 - 2020/12/15
N2 - Trace elements are integral to biogeochemical processes at the Earth’s surface and play an important role in the carbon cycle as micronutrients to support biological productivity. We present data from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets to demonstrate the importance of subglacial biogeochemical processes in mobilizing substantial quantities of these elements. Usually immobile elements are found in subglacial meltwaters at elevated concentrations compared with typical rivers, with most exhibiting distinctive size fractionation due to adsorption onto nanoparticles. Our findings suggest that ice sheets need to be included in models of global biogeochemical cycles of trace elements and studies of the fertilization of adjacent marine systems, especially the Southern Ocean, due to large export fluxes of micronutrients, most notably iron.
AB - Trace elements are integral to biogeochemical processes at the Earth’s surface and play an important role in the carbon cycle as micronutrients to support biological productivity. We present data from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets to demonstrate the importance of subglacial biogeochemical processes in mobilizing substantial quantities of these elements. Usually immobile elements are found in subglacial meltwaters at elevated concentrations compared with typical rivers, with most exhibiting distinctive size fractionation due to adsorption onto nanoparticles. Our findings suggest that ice sheets need to be included in models of global biogeochemical cycles of trace elements and studies of the fertilization of adjacent marine systems, especially the Southern Ocean, due to large export fluxes of micronutrients, most notably iron.
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2014378117
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.2014378117
DO - 10.1073/pnas.2014378117
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
C2 - 33229559
SN - 0027-8424
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
ER -
