1. Diatom burst-driven silica depletion under the Antarctic sea ice: evidence from sponge spicules.
- Author
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Shetye, Suhas, Mohan, Rahul, Jafar, Syed A., Nair, Abhilash, Patil, Shramik, Jawak, Shridhar, Asthana, Rajesh, and Gazi, Sahina
- Subjects
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SILICA , *DIATOMS , *SILICON compounds , *PHYTOPLANKTON , *SEA ice - Abstract
Earlier studies have documented the role of diatoms in reducing the diversity and abundance of other silicadependent organisms, such as radiolaria. Here we hypothesize that diatom burst-driven depletion of dissolved silica (DSi) in the Antarctic under sea-ice waters affects other silica-biomineralizing organisms. We found intense diatom-dominated, ice-edge phytoplankton bloom in the Enderby basin resulting in severe depletion of DSi (<5 μM) under the sea ice. We also found siliceous sponge spicules within the surface sediment collected from under the Antarctic sea ice. Dominance of small style spicules (170 spicules/g sediment) under the sea ice along with dissolution seen on them, suggests DSi deficiency in the Antarctic waters. We, therefore, conclude that there is a rapid depletion of DSi due to seasonal diatom blooms under sea ice in the Antarctic waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014