Reef Chemistry Question of the Day #158 Iron in the Ocean

[bobbyM]

B

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

And the answer is (IMO), is .... B. The iron concentration is lower at the surface than 1000 meters down.

Almost anywhere you look, this will be the case. Photosynthetic plankton and other organisms scrounge up all they can get, and iron is often the limiting factor for phytoplankton growth at the surface for that reason. The surface concentration can be a factor of 10 or more lower at the surface than deeper.

If you look at the charts that were posted earlier:

http://www.nature.com/news/digital-atlas-shows-oceans-iron-levels-1.14774

despite the oddities due to vents and rivers and such, the near surface regions are typically greatly depleted (showing blue or purple) relative to the deeper regions (mostly green).

Happy Reefing.

 

[beaslbob]

hmmmmmm

and thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

hmmmmmm

and thanks

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[cowboy]

I would have to go with C since the ocean is constantly moving unlike a static pool where Fe conc can be directly effected by PH and temp

 

[dbl]

Read post #22 and you may change your mind...lol.

 

[cowboy]

Yea it happens but might as well take a crack at it my experience with most of these questions are directly related to the oil and gas industry smaller volumes of water and an fe conc of less than 100 ppm

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yea it happens but might as well take a crack at it my experience with most of these questions are directly related to the oil and gas industry smaller volumes of water and an fe conc of less than 100 ppm

It's great to have all replies.