Distinct profiles of size-fractionated iron-binding ligands between the eastern and western subarctic Pacific

Abstract

Iron (Fe) is well known as a limiting factor to control primary productivity especially in high-nutrient and low chlorophyll area such as the subarctic Pacific. The solubility of Fe is believed to be controlled by its complexation with natural organic ligands, while the distribution of organic ligands is poorly understood. Here, we report that dissolved (< 0.2 µm) organic ligands were unevenly distributed between the western and eastern stations in the subarctic Pacific. The concentration of dissolved organic ligands around the lower part of subarctic Pacific intermediate water was higher in the western station, suggesting that Fe complexation with these organic ligands supports a lateral transport within the water mass. However, a more detailed size-fractionated treatment indicated no significant difference in the soluble (< 1000 kDa) ligands’ distribution between the western and eastern stations. These results suggest that organic and inorganic colloid formations are potentially essential for Fe transport mechanisms in the subarctic Pacific.