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Role of vertical mixing in controlling the oceanic production of dimethyl sulphide

Nature volume 402, pages 396–399 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Marine microbiota are important for the global biogeochemical sulphur cycle, by making possible the transfer of reduced sulphur from the ocean to the atmosphere in the form of dimethyl sulphide1,2, DMS. Subsequent oxidation of DMS to acidic aerosols influences particle nucleation and growth over the oceans3, and so has the potential to influence radiative balance and global climate. It has been suggested4 that this plankton–climate interaction is self-regulated, but tests of this hypothesis have remained elusive as little is known about the feedback effects of climate on the marine DMS cycle2. DMS is produced by enzymatic cleavage of the abundant algal component dimethylsulphoniopropionate5 (DMSP), which suggests a high potential for DMS generation in the ocean. But there are competing processes6 that utilize DMSP in the food web without producing DMS, and the external controls on these processes are unknown. Here we present data of DMSP consumption, DMS production and mixing-layer depths (which are driven by climate) in the subpolar North Atlantic, and compare these data with published results from other latitudes. We find evidence that the mixing-layer depth has a substantial influence on DMS yield in the short term. This finding, combined with the seasonal effect of vertical mixing on plankton succession and food-web structure, suggests that climate-controlled mixing controls DMS production over vast regions of the ocean.

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Figure 1: DMS production and vertical mixing.
Figure 2: The ‘summer DMS paradox’ and vertical mixing in the surface ocean.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all scientists, officers and crew aboard the RRS Discovery for assistance, P. Liss and T. Jinkells for leadership during fieldwork, W. Broadgate for setting up the cruise, P. Machine and G. Monocoiffé of the BODC for CTD and accessory data management, J. Grimalt for analytical facilities, and R. Kiene and K. Ledyard for providing accessory information to published data. R. Kiene also provided valuable comments. This work was supported by the Spanish CICyT through the Programa Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología Marinas (CyTMAR) and the British NERC through the Atmospheric Chemistry Studies in the Oceanic Environment (ACSOE) Community Programme.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Pg Joan de Borbó s/n, Barcelona, 08039, Catalonia, Spain

    Rafel Simó & Carlos Pedrós-Alió

  2. Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institut d'Investigacions Químiques i Ambientals (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona, 08034, Catalonia, Spain

    Rafel Simó

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Correspondence to Rafel Simó.

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Simó, R., Pedrós-Alió, C. Role of vertical mixing in controlling the oceanic production of dimethyl sulphide. Nature 402, 396–399 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/46516

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