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Trace Metals & Phytoplankton

Trace Metals & Phytoplankton. Gert Vlaming. 24-01-2003. Contents. Introduction Trace metals Importance of phytoplankton Conclusion. Gaia theory. Environment. Life. Trace metals. Fe 3+ Mn 2+ Co 2+ Cu 2+. Ni 2+ Cd 2+ Zn 2+. Trace metals of importance. Complexation field diagram.

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Trace Metals & Phytoplankton

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  1. Trace Metals & Phytoplankton Gert Vlaming 24-01-2003

  2. Contents • Introduction • Trace metals • Importance of phytoplankton • Conclusion

  3. Gaia theory Environment Life

  4. Trace metals

  5. Fe3+ Mn2+ Co2+ Cu2+ Ni2+ Cd2+ Zn2+ Trace metals of importance

  6. Complexation field diagram Whitfield, 1997

  7. Recycled elements • Low concentrations in the surface layer • Enhanced concentrations in the deeper water • Residence time: intermediate (103 – 105 yrs) • Concentrations: 10-12 – 10-5 M

  8. Concentrations mol/l

  9. Concentrations II • Atlantic ocean receives a greater flux of windborne dust and atmospheric contaminants than the Pacific • Accumulated elements released from the decaying particulate matter • Mn and Co: adsorption onto particles

  10. Biochemical functions And many enzymatic reactions

  11. Availability • > 97% of the total metal in solution is held in strong organic complexes • These complexes are not available for phytoplanktonic uptake The essential trace metals have very low concentrations

  12. Importance of life for trace metal concentrations

  13. Fractionation Broecker & Peng, 1982

  14. Recycling ratio flux circulating within the ecosystem R = flux circulating through the environment R R

  15. Recycling ratio Whitfield, 1997

  16. Recycling ratio II • The inability of phytoplankton to exercise absolute discrimination • Phytoplankton are capable of actively regulating their internal economy • For most essential trace metals the cells are at, or close to, their nutrient limitation levels

  17. Adaptations • Internal • External • Interspecific • Collective There’s a “chemical war” going on ...

  18. Uptake • Diffusion • Transfer of complexes • Capture • Uptake by Michaelis-Menten kinetics

  19. Organic complexation • Cells release organic complexing agents • Beneficial for Fe, Cu en Mn • Enabling large pool of Fe to be maintained • Maintaining concentrations below toxic levels

  20. Conclusions • Availability of trace metals is a significant factor regulating primary production • Phytoplankton is strongly effecting the concentrations of trace metals

  21. Questions

  22. Additional

  23. Evolution of life • Prokaryotic life: 3.5 Ga • Eukaryotic life: 1.5 Ga • Multicellular life: 600 Ma

  24. Start of multicellular life Possibly because: • Lowering of the alkalinity of the oceans • The attainment of an appropriately low global mean temperature • The maintenance of a critical level of dissolved oxygen in the sea • The establishment of the required cocktail of available trace metals

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