Organic matter: does size matter?
- José Luis García
- Dec 7, 2022
- 2 min read
The Bentayga is an eddy that rotates clockwise, which affects how the organic matter produced and used by organisms that inhabit the ocean is distributed. Organic matter is made up of myriads of chemical compounds based on carbon atoms, forming carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds. It can be divided into dissolved and particulate, depending on its size, and the limit is dictated by the pore size used to filter the water (between 0.2 and 0.7 micrometers).
José Luis filtering water to collect particulate organic matter (left) and an example of a filter with particles from the sediment traps (right)
Dissolved organic matter represents 97% of all organic matter in the ocean and represents one of the largest reservoirs of organic carbon on the planet. The highest concentration is found on the surface ocean, where the effect of the Bentayga is most noticeable. 95% of the dissolved organic matter comes directly or indirectly from phytoplankton, which are the organisms responsible for photosynthesis in the sea, and the remaining 5% from terrestrial or atmospheric sources. The functions of dissolved organic matter in the ocean are diverse, intervening in carbon dynamics in the ocean (Biological Carbon Pump), buffering and contributing to water alkalinity, complexing trace metals or damping the damaging effect of UV radiation on organisms inhabiting the ocean.
Particulate organic matter is made up of all living organisms that inhabit the ocean, and fundamentally, by particles of sizes ranging from micrometers to centimeters. These particles can be found in suspension or sedimentation more or less rapidly in the water column, being their main source waste materials from marine trophic webs. As they are larger, these particles sink, transporting carbon and other elements from the surface to the bottom of the sea, contributing to the Biological Carbon Pump.
In an eddy like the Bentayga we are observing that the main fractions of organic matter are dissolved and particulate matter in suspension and, therefore, the vertical transport of this matter dominates the flow of large particles, in sedimentation by gravity.
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I really appreciate how this post breaks down the complexities of the biological pump. Understanding the transition from DOM to POM is key for my own research. I’ve been taking high-resolution photos of our water filtration setups on my iPhone to document the process, but I often need to convert them for my lab reports. I use Best Heic Convert Png to quickly turn those HEIC captures into PNGs. It’s a lifesaver when I need to share clear, compatible visual data with my colleagues!
This article brilliantly illustrates the crucial role of POM size in carbon sequestration. Its fascinating how such microscopic differences have a global impact! After a long week of field sampling on a research vessel, my lower back and shoulders are usually exhausted from hauling equipment. Ive started using Nature Pain Relief Patches to manage the muscle strain naturally.
I love how this post simplifies the intricacies of DOM and POM! It's so important for people to understand how micro-level organic matter impacts our global climate. I’m currently drafting a summary of this article for my environmental awareness blog to help spread the word. I’ve been using Markdown To HTMl Tools to quickly convert my Markdown drafts into web-ready format, which saves me so much time on technical formatting so I can focus on the science!
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