Influence of stratification on marine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamcis: The
Mediterranenan Sea case
Stratification strongly influences DOC dynamics in the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas, with
patterns similar to those observed in the sub-tropical and temperate regions of the open ocean,
respectively. Recent findings suggest that enhanced stratification associated with a warmer ocean
could further increase the DOC concentrations in the mixed layer. The coupling between this
accumulation and the net export of DOC in deeper layer is however still elusive. The processes
leading to a reduction in the export might be mitigated or overcompensated by parallel processes
which might increase it. The Mediterranean Sea, hosting a wide range of vertical transfer
processes over a short temporal scale, may serve as a model for the study of the impact of global
warming on the C cycle. In addition, the observation that in some areas C export as DOC can be
notably higher than that due to POC confirms that the conventional view of carbon export, in which
POM is considered the main player, should be revised. DOM may contribute to oceanic carbon
export more than is currently recognized, therefore this component should be included in the
models studying the role of the warming ocean in the global carbon cycle.
Schematic of DOM dynamics affected by enhanced stratification. The ↑ and ↑ indicate an increase or a
decrease in the concentrations/importance of the relevant process, respectively. SLDOM and RDOM refer to
semi-labile and refractory fractions, respectively.
Reference: Santinelli C., Hansell D.A., Ribera d’Alcalà M., 2013. Influence of stratification on
marine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics: The Mediterranean Sea case. Progress in
Oceanography 119, 68-77.