BIIM

Biogeochemical Impact of Iron released by Marine particles

Coordination

Hélène Planquette

Project type

International

Funding

Project duration

Start Date

February 1, 2019

End Date

January 1, 2023

Links

BIIM aims to 1) assess the processes leading to the net dissolution of abiotic particulate iron, and 2) evaluate its impact on marine biogeochemistry. This is a crucial topic, as dissolved iron controls marine biological productivity and carbon sequestration in over 30% of the global ocean. Abiotic particulate iron has been mainly considered as refractory material, not positively impacting the bioavailable dissolved pool of iron. Recent observations question this assumption and suggest that this iron pool may be prone to dissolution. However, the exchange mechanisms between the particulate and dissolved pools of iron have not been properly identified nor quantified. BIIM will use laboratory experiments, in-situ data and two distinct modelling set-ups to tackle these critical issues. Besides relying on a strong collaborative effort between modellers and observationalists, BIIM will allow the PI, hired at CNRS in 2014, to further develop her research on particulate iron and to train young scientists on the study of particulate trace metals in the ocean, a topic that receives increasing focus from the international community  

The team

Contributors

Thomas Gorgues (LOPS)

Houda Beghoura (LOPS)

Olivier Aumont (LOCEAN)

Alessandro Tagliabue (University of Liverpool)