Verification of the function of carbon fixation in the ocean by microbial carbon pump

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24310008
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: OGAWA Hiroshi 東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 准教授 (50260518)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HAMASAKI Kouji 東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 准教授 (80277871)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 炭素循環 / 生元素動態 / 海洋微生物 / 海洋有機物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A new concept “Microbial Carbon Pump” as a mechanism which atmospheric carbon dioxide could be fixed into the ocean was examined by investigating distributions of refractory dissolved organic matter (DOM) and bacterial community in the Pacific Ocean, and using an incubation experiment on board. Consequently, it was evident that DOM poorly available for microbial utilization, which was enriched with carbon, accumulated in surface waters of subtropical areas. The distribution of terrigenous refractory DOM indicating by dissolved lignin, showed a clear peak in the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), suggesting that terrigenous DOM derived from rivers in the Eurasian Continent would be transported by NPIW and spread over the whole of the North Pacific.

Free Research Field

海洋生物地球化学