Atmospheric deposition promotes relative abundance of main
dimethylsulfoniopropionate producers in the western North Pacific
Abstract
Haptophytes and Dinoflagellates are two cosmopolitan algae associated
with dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) synthesis, which regulates the
marine biogenic flux of dimethylsulfide (DMS) to the atmosphere and
subsequently affects marine aerosols. Attempting to reveal the potential
impact of atmospheric deposition on the growth of main DMSP producers,
four bioassay experiments were conducted in the western North Pacific
(WNP) by adding aerosols, nutrients and trace metals. Our results showed
that the percentage of main DMSP producers increased substantially from
coastal regions (<1%) to the open ocean
(~17%) with the dominance of Dinophyceae and
Haptophyceae, respectively. Aerosol additions largely increased the
percentage of DMSP species in the open WNP. Specifically, atmospheric
DIN and soluble Cu, and Fe promoted Chrysochromulina, and Phaeocystis
and E. huxleyi, respectively. It is very likely that atmospheric
deposition could lift the relative abundance of main DMSP producers in
the vast oligotrophic oceans and contribute to the climate change.