Insights into silicon cycling from ice sheet to coastal ocean from isotope geochemistry
Abstract The polar regions are biologically productive and play a critical role in regional and global biogeochemical cycling. A key nutrient is dissolved silicon, required for the growth of siliceous phytoplankton, diatoms, which form an important component of polar ecosystems. Glacial weathering i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02264-7 |
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| author | Katharine R. Hendry Felipe Sales de Freitas Sandra Arndt Alexander Beaton Lisa Friberg Jade E. Hatton Jonathan R. Hawkings Rhiannon L. Jones Jeffrey W. Krause Lorenz Meire Hong Chin Ng Helena Pryer Sarah Tingey Sebastiaan J. van de Velde Jemma Wadham Tong Wang E. Malcolm S. Woodward |
| author_facet | Katharine R. Hendry Felipe Sales de Freitas Sandra Arndt Alexander Beaton Lisa Friberg Jade E. Hatton Jonathan R. Hawkings Rhiannon L. Jones Jeffrey W. Krause Lorenz Meire Hong Chin Ng Helena Pryer Sarah Tingey Sebastiaan J. van de Velde Jemma Wadham Tong Wang E. Malcolm S. Woodward |
| author_sort | Katharine R. Hendry |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The polar regions are biologically productive and play a critical role in regional and global biogeochemical cycling. A key nutrient is dissolved silicon, required for the growth of siliceous phytoplankton, diatoms, which form an important component of polar ecosystems. Glacial weathering is thought to be an important dissolved silicon source to coastal waters, especially critical in regions experiencing seasonal silicon limitation of diatom growth. However, complex physical and biogeochemical interactions in fjords and coastal regions modulate the downstream supply of dissolved and particulate nutrients, including silicon. Here, we review the biogeochemical complexities of glaciated margins and the insights into this system that silicon isotope geochemistry offer. We show that stable and radioisotopic measurements and biogeochemical numerical modelling provide a quantitative mechanistic understanding of subglacial silica mobilisation and its cycling across the land-ocean continuum. Subglacial weathering produces isotopically light amorphous silica, which dissolves in seawater to release dissolved silicon. Our findings show that isotopically light, detrital silica, likely containing glacial material, reaches the ocean and there could support a substantial proportion of diatom productivity, especially in the Arctic. Outstanding questions about silicon cycling in these crucial environments will be addressed through novel and cross-discipline approaches that overcome traditionally viewed ecosystem boundaries. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-67a37f5fd21742c38dd9671f5ce7348a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-67a37f5fd21742c38dd9671f5ce7348a2025-08-20T02:17:52ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-04-016111210.1038/s43247-025-02264-7Insights into silicon cycling from ice sheet to coastal ocean from isotope geochemistryKatharine R. Hendry0Felipe Sales de Freitas1Sandra Arndt2Alexander Beaton3Lisa Friberg4Jade E. Hatton5Jonathan R. Hawkings6Rhiannon L. Jones7Jeffrey W. Krause8Lorenz Meire9Hong Chin Ng10Helena Pryer11Sarah Tingey12Sebastiaan J. van de Velde13Jemma Wadham14Tong Wang15E. Malcolm S. Woodward16British Antarctic Survey, High CrossBGeosys, Department of Geosciences, Université libre de BruxellesBGeosys, Department of Geosciences, Université libre de BruxellesNational Oceanography Centre SouthamptonSchool of Earth Sciences, University of BristolSchool of Earth Sciences, University of BristoliC3: Centre for ice, Cryosphere, Carbon and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayBritish Antarctic Survey, High CrossDauphin Island Sea LabGreenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural ResourcesSchool of Earth Sciences, University of BristolDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of CambridgeiC3: Centre for ice, Cryosphere, Carbon and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayDepartment of Biology, University of AntwerpiC3: Centre for ice, Cryosphere, Carbon and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT The Arctic University of NorwaySchool of Earth Sciences, University of BristolPlymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The HoeAbstract The polar regions are biologically productive and play a critical role in regional and global biogeochemical cycling. A key nutrient is dissolved silicon, required for the growth of siliceous phytoplankton, diatoms, which form an important component of polar ecosystems. Glacial weathering is thought to be an important dissolved silicon source to coastal waters, especially critical in regions experiencing seasonal silicon limitation of diatom growth. However, complex physical and biogeochemical interactions in fjords and coastal regions modulate the downstream supply of dissolved and particulate nutrients, including silicon. Here, we review the biogeochemical complexities of glaciated margins and the insights into this system that silicon isotope geochemistry offer. We show that stable and radioisotopic measurements and biogeochemical numerical modelling provide a quantitative mechanistic understanding of subglacial silica mobilisation and its cycling across the land-ocean continuum. Subglacial weathering produces isotopically light amorphous silica, which dissolves in seawater to release dissolved silicon. Our findings show that isotopically light, detrital silica, likely containing glacial material, reaches the ocean and there could support a substantial proportion of diatom productivity, especially in the Arctic. Outstanding questions about silicon cycling in these crucial environments will be addressed through novel and cross-discipline approaches that overcome traditionally viewed ecosystem boundaries.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02264-7 |
| spellingShingle | Katharine R. Hendry Felipe Sales de Freitas Sandra Arndt Alexander Beaton Lisa Friberg Jade E. Hatton Jonathan R. Hawkings Rhiannon L. Jones Jeffrey W. Krause Lorenz Meire Hong Chin Ng Helena Pryer Sarah Tingey Sebastiaan J. van de Velde Jemma Wadham Tong Wang E. Malcolm S. Woodward Insights into silicon cycling from ice sheet to coastal ocean from isotope geochemistry Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Insights into silicon cycling from ice sheet to coastal ocean from isotope geochemistry |
| title_full | Insights into silicon cycling from ice sheet to coastal ocean from isotope geochemistry |
| title_fullStr | Insights into silicon cycling from ice sheet to coastal ocean from isotope geochemistry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Insights into silicon cycling from ice sheet to coastal ocean from isotope geochemistry |
| title_short | Insights into silicon cycling from ice sheet to coastal ocean from isotope geochemistry |
| title_sort | insights into silicon cycling from ice sheet to coastal ocean from isotope geochemistry |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02264-7 |
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