The Greenland Ice Sheet as a hot spot of phosphorus weathering and export in the Arctic

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Version: Final published version
License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_F7725878C64D
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Title
The Greenland Ice Sheet as a hot spot of phosphorus weathering and export in the Arctic
Journal
Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Author(s)
Hawkings Jon, Wadham Jemma, Tranter Martyn, Telling Jon, Bagshaw Elizabeth, Beaton Alexander, Simmons Sarah-Louise, Chandler David, Tedstone Andrew, Nienow Peter
ISSN
0886-6236
1944-9224
Publication state
Published
Issued date
02/2016
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
30
Number
2
Pages
191-210
Language
english
Abstract
The contribution of ice sheets to the global biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus is largely unknown, due to the lack of field data. Here we present the first comprehensive study of phosphorus export from two Greenland Ice Sheet glaciers. Our results indicate that the ice sheet is a hot spot of phosphorus export in the Arctic. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations, up to 0.35 µM, are similar to those observed in Arctic rivers. Yields of SRP are among the highest in the literature, with denudation rates of 17–27 kg P km−2 yr−1. Particulate phases, as with nonglaciated catchments, dominate phosphorus export (>97% of total phosphorus flux). The labile particulate fraction differs between the two glaciers studied, with significantly higher yields found at the larger glacier (57.3 versus 8.3 kg P km−2 yr−1). Total phosphorus yields are an order of magnitude higher than riverine values reported in the literature. We estimate that the ice sheet contributes ~15% of total bioavailable phosphorus input to the Arctic oceans (~11 Gg yr−1) and dominates total phosphorus input (408 Gg yr−1), which is more than 3 times that estimated from Arctic rivers (126 Gg yr−1). We predict that these fluxes will rise with increasing ice sheet freshwater discharge in the future.
Keywords
biogeochemistry, glaciology, cryosphere, nutrient cycles, phosphorus, nutrient export
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
29/08/2024 10:03
Last modification date
25/11/2024 16:54
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