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Trace elements (TE) are tracers of multiple biotic and abiotic processes in the ocean and some of them are essential for marine life. Vertical export by particles is a major removal process of a large fraction of TE from the surface ocean. However, the seasonal export dynamics and its controlling factors, critical for the understanding of the internal TE cycling, remain poorly constrained. Here, we report and discuss the seasonal export of 15 TE in sinking particles collected by a sediment trap deployed in a highly productive region of the Southern Ocean. Basalt material was the main carrier phase for the export flux of 9 TE, and its dynamic was characterized by a strong decrease over time. TE export driven by biological carriers such as diatom spores and vegetative cells added pulsed seasonal dynamics to the lithogenic signal, while the contribution of fecal pellets was less variable over the season. For each TE, we were able to decipher the biological carrier phases that represent the most dominant export pathway. We discuss this partitioning with regards to the known metabolic functions of the different trace metals or TE of biological interest. Key Points: Export fluxes of 15 trace elements reveal contrasted seasonal patterns between lithogenic and biological carriersBasalt particles are the major lithogenic carrier phase of trace elementsFecal pellets, diatom vegetative cells and spores are each carriers of distinct trace elements [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although iron availability has been shown to limit ocean productivity and influence marine carbon cycling, the rates of processes driving iron's removal and retention in the upper ocean are poorly constrained. Using 234Th‐ and sediment‐trap data, most of which were collected through international GEOTRACES efforts, we perform an unprecedented observation‐based assessment of iron export from and residence time in the upper ocean. The majority of these new residence time estimates for total iron in the surface ocean (0–250 m) fall between 10 and 100 days. The upper ocean residence time of dissolved iron, on the other hand, varies and cycles on sub‐annual to annual timescales. Collectively, these residence times are shorter than previously thought, and the rates and timescales presented here will contribute to ongoing efforts to integrate iron into global biogeochemical models predicting climate and carbon dioxide sequestration in the ocean in the 21st century and beyond. Plain Language Summary: Iron is a key micronutrient for organisms living in the upper ocean, and thus, its availability is one of the key factors controlling the removal of carbon dioxide via phytoplankton growth in much of the global ocean. Until very recently, measurements of internal iron cycling were scarce. This includes estimates of how much iron leaves the surface ocean via sinking particles. Due to the lack of observations, models struggle to reproduce observed patterns in global surface iron distributions. For the first time, we constrain the rate of iron loss from the upper ocean along three basin‐wide transects and bring together all preexisting estimates to determine the timescales on which different forms of iron are retained in the upper ocean. Overall, our findings suggest that iron cycles more rapidly between the surface and the subsurface ocean than previously estimated, and we encourage the modeling community to utilize the wealth of data presented here to explore the global consequences of these findings. Key Points: The majority of the residence times determined for total Fe in the upper 250 m fall between 10 and 100 daysExport‐based results suggest that dissolved Fe cycles sub‐annually to annually in the upper ocean, typically faster than previously thought [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved Fe (dFe) concentrations were measured in the upper 1300m of the water column in the vicinity of the Kerguelen Islands as part of the second KErguelen Ocean Plateau compared Study (KEOPS2). Concentrations ranged from 0.06 nmol L-1 in offshore, Southern Ocean waters to 3.82 nmol L-1 within Hillsborough Bay, on the north-eastern coast of the Kerguelen Islands. Direct island runoff, glacial melting and resuspended sediments were identified as important inputs of dFe that could potentially fertilise the northern part of the plateau. A significant deep dFe enrichment was observed over the plateau with dFe concentrations increasing up to 1.30 nmol L-1 close to the seafloor, probably due to sediment resuspension and pore water release. Biological uptake was shown to induce a significant decrease in dFe concentrations between two visits (28 days apart) at a station above the plateau. Our work also considered other processes and sources, such as lateral advection of enriched seawater, remineralisation processes, and the influence of the polar front (PF) as a vector for Fe transport. Overall, heterogeneous sources of Fe over and off the Kerguelen Plateau, in addition to strong variability in Fe supply by vertical or horizontal transport, may explain the high variability in dFe concentrations observed during this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved Fe (dFe) concentrations were measured in the upper 1300 m of the water column in the vicinity of Kerguelen Island as part of the second Kerguelen Ocean Plateau compared Study (KEOPS2). Concentrations ranged from 0.06 nmol L-1 in offshore, Southern Ocean waters, to 3.82 nmol L-1 within Hillsborough Bay, on the north-eastern coast of Kerguelen Island. Direct island runoff, glacial melting and resuspended sediments were identified as important inputs of dFe that could potentially fertilize the northern part of the plateau. A significant deep dFe enrichment was observed over the plateau with dFe concentrations increasing up to 1.30 nmol L-1 close to the seafloor, probably due to sediment resuspension and pore water release. Biological uptake was identified as a likely explanation for the decrease in dFe concentrations between two visits (28 days apart) at a station above the plateau. Our results allowed studying other processes and sources, such as atmospheric inputs, lateral advection of enriched seawater, remineralization processes and the influence of the Polar Front (PF) as a vector for Fe transport. Overall, heterogeneous sources of Fe over and off the Kerguelen Plateau, in addition to strong variability in Fe supply by vertical or horizontal transport, may explain the high variability in dFe concentrations observed during this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]