This study aims to investigate the diverse subsurface nutrient patterns observed within anticyclonic eddies in the upwelling system off Peru. Two simulated anticyclonic eddies with opposing subsurface nitrate concentrations were analysed. The results show that diverse nutrient patterns within anticyclonic eddies are related to the presence of water mass from different origins at different depths, responding to variations in depth of the circulation strength at the edge of the eddy.

We present a novel chamber design for measuring soil–atmosphere N₂O fluxes and compare the performance of a commonly applied gas chromatography (GC) setup with laser-based (QCL) concentration detection. While GC was still a useful method for longer-term investigations, we found that closure times of 10 min and sampling every 5 s is sufficient when using a QCL system. Further, extremely low standard errors (< 2 % of flux value) were observed regardless of linear or exponential flux calculation.

We analyzed the evolution of the atmospheric CO₂ mean annual cycle simulated during 1950–2300 under three scenarios designed to separate the effects of climate change, CO₂ fertilization, and land use change. CO₂ fertilization in boreal and temperate ecosystems drove mean annual cycle amplification over the NH midlatitudes during 1950–2300. Boreal and Arctic climate change drove high-latitude amplification before 2200, after which CO₂ fertilization contributed nearly equally to amplification.

We gathered data from published sources to assess the effects of growing conditions on the nutritive quality of grasses which feed livestock. Nutritive quality is important for livestock productivity and methane production. We found that forage nutritive quality was reduced at higher temperatures. We estimate that cattle methane production may increase in future due to temperature-driven reductions in forage quality. This is a positive climate feedback that further increases global temperatures.

This study presents a novel set of in situ observations of phytoplankton community structure for the North Sea. These observations were used to validate two physical–biogeochemical ocean model simulations, each of which used different variants of the widely used European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model (ERSEM). The results suggest the ability of the models to reproduce the observed phytoplankton community structure was dependent on the details of the biogeochemical model parameterizations used.

Despite their permanently cold and dark characteristics, subglacial environments (glacier ice–sediment interface) are known to harbour active microbial communities. However, the role of microbial iron cycling in these environments is poorly understood. Here we show that subglacial sediments harbour active iron-reducing microorganisms, and they appear to be cold-adapted. These results may have important implications for global biogeochemical iron cycling and export to marine ecosystems.

Standardised, quality-controlled and robust data from flux networks underpin the understanding of ecosystem processes and tools to manage our natural resources. The Dynamic INtegrated Gap-filling and partitioning for OzFlux (DINGO) system enables gap-filling and partitioning of fluxes and subsequently provides diagnostics and results. Quality data from robust systems like DINGO ensure the utility and uptake of flux data and facilitates synergies between flux, remote sensing and modelling.

Mollusc shells record past environments. Fossil shell chemistry and microstructure change as metastable biogenic aragonite transforms to stable geogenic calcite. We simulated this alteration of Arctica islandica shells by hydrothermal treatments. Below 175 °C the shell aragonite survived for weeks. At 175 °C the replacement of the original material starts after 4 days and yields submillimetre-sized calcites preserving the macroscopic morphology as well as the original internal micromorphology.

Our culture experiments on modern Coccolithophores find that physiology regulates shifts in the geometry of their carbonate shells (coccospheres) between growth phases. This provides a tool to access growth information in modern and past populations. Directly comparing modern species with fossil coccospheres derives a new proxy for investigating the physiology that underpins phytoplankton responses to environmental change through geological time.

Faecal pellets (FPs) are a dominant part of the deep ocean carbon fluxes. We compare estimates of FP production, to measurements of FPs in the meso- and bathypelagic. Despite being produced in high numbers in the surface ocean, small FPs are not transferred efficiently to depth. Changes in FP morphology point to the repacking of surface FPs in the mesopelagic and in situ production at depth, highlighting the importance of deep zooplankton communities for the transfer of carbon to the deep ocean.

During late boreal summer and fall, the west coast of India (WCI) experiences hypoxia, which turns into anoxia during some years. We analyze a coupled physical–biogeochemical simulation over the 1960–2012 period to investigate the physical processes influencing oxycline interannual variability off the WCI. We show that fall WCI oxycline fluctuations are strongly related to Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), with positive IODs preventing anoxia, while negative IODs do not necessarily result in anoxia.

The Southern Ocean is a sink for anthropogenic carbon. Projections of how this sink will evolve in an ever-warming climate are based on coupled ocean-circulation–biogeochemical models. This study compares uncertainties of simulated oceanic carbon uptake associated to physical (eddy) parameterizations with those associated wtih (unconstrained) supply of bioavailable iron supply to the surface ocean.

Lichens and bryophytes have been shown to release nitrous oxide, which is a strong greenhouse gas and atmospheric ozone-depleting agent. Here we apply a process-based computer model of lichens and bryophytes at the global scale, to estimate growth and respiration of the organisms. By relating respiration to nitrous oxide release, we simulate global nitrous oxide emissions of 0.27 (0.19–0.35) Tg yr⁻¹. Moreover, we quantify different sources of uncertainty in nitrous oxide emission rates.

In this study we found that CO₂ fluxes from soil measured by the closed-chamber technique were overestimated during low atmospheric turbulence. This resulted in biased courses of CO₂ fluxes during a day. We removed CO₂ fluxes measured at low turbulence, which gave better flux estimates. We furthermore tested a novel technique that provided good measurement during low turbulence, thereby giving better estimates of CO₂ emissions from soils, which is a crucial part of the global carbon cycle.

We investigated variations of isotopic and biochemical parameters in arctic mosses. We were able to differentiate habitat groups of mosses (classified by moisture gradient) by elemental content and isotopic ratios (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N). Some species showed intraspecific variability in their isotopic composition along the moisture gradient. Furthermore n-alkanes showed interesting patterns for species identification.

Large amounts of methane are produced in anoxic, coastal sediments, from which it can seep into the overlying water column. Aerobic oxidation of methane (MOx) mediated by methanotrophic bacteria is an important sink for methane before its evasion to the atmosphere. In a 2-year seasonal study, we investigated the spatio-temporal variability of MOx in a seasonally hypoxic coastal inlet using radiotracer-based methods. In experiments, we assessed the effect of variable oxygen concentrations on MOx.

Plankton models have become an integral part in marine ecosystem and biogeochemical research. These models differ in complexity and in their number of parameters. How values are assigned to parameters is essential. An overview of major methodologies of parameter estimation is provided. Aspects of parameter identification in the literature are diverse. Individual findings could be better synthesized if notation and expertise of the different scientific communities would be reasonably merged.

The shell compositions of bivalve species from south Western Australia are described here to better understand the factors involved in their formation. The shell composition can be used to reconstruct past environmental conditions, but certain species manifest an offset compared to the environmental parameters measured. As shown here, shells that experience the same conditions can present different compositions in relation to structure, organic composition and environmental conditions.

We report regional-scale erosion of coral reef ecosystems in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific oceans determined by measuring changes in seafloor elevation. The magnitude of seafloor elevation loss has increased local sea level rise, causing water depths not predicted until near 2100, placing coastal communities at elevated and accelerating risk from hazards such as waves, storms, and tsunamis. Our results have broad implications for coastal resource and safety management.