Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Supply And Consumption Of Dissolved Organic Phosphorus Across The Subtropical Indian Ocean, Corinne Richard

Honors Theses and Capstones

The Indian Ocean is an understudied region for marine phosphorus (P) biogeochemistry. Emerging evidence indicates marine phytoplankton can adapt to decreasing supplies of inorganic P, a required nutrient for growth, by alternatively utilizing organic forms of P. Here we investigate the dissolved organic phosphorus concentration ([DOP]) distribution across the southern Indian Ocean using observations collected on the I05 US GO-SHIP Cruise (2023) across ~33ºS latitude. We quantify the longitudinal variability of [DOP] in the upper 350 m of the Indian Ocean and infer its rate of biological consumption from surface waters, contributing as an organic nutrient to sustain marine autotrophs …