Articles | Volume 23, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-345-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-345-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Jan 2026
Research article |
| 13 Jan 2026
| 13 Jan 2026
Dynamic upper-ocean processes enhance mesopelagic carbon export of zooplankton fecal pellets in the southern South China Sea
Ruitong Wu
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Jiaying Li
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Baozhi Lin
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Yulong Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Junyuan Cao
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Xiaodong Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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Short summary
Short summary
The sinking of zooplankton fecal pellets is a key process in the marine biological carbon pump. This study presents carbon export of four shapes of fecal pellets from two time-series sediment traps in the South China Sea. The results show that the sinking fate of fecal pellets is regulated by marine primary productivity, deep-dwelling zooplankton community, and deep-sea currents in the tropical marginal sea, thus providing a new perspective for exploring the carbon cycle in the world ocean.
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Short summary
Zooplankton fecal pellets are key contributors to the marine biological pump. This study presents time-series sediment trap observations of fecal pellet export at 500 m water depth in the southern South China Sea. The results indicate that the mesopelagic fecal pellet carbon flux is primarily regulated by upper-ocean dynamic processes, including winter mixing, tropical cyclones, and mesoscale eddies, providing new insights into the dynamics of biological pump in oligotrophic ocean systems.
Zooplankton fecal pellets are key contributors to the marine biological pump. This study...
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