COG3

E25 Chem Oc & Biogeochem Seminar - Dr. Kate Hendry
Date Time Location
October 8th, 2010 3:00pm-4:00pm E25-605
Post-doctoral fellow, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Title: "Silicon in the oceans: what do isotopes have to say?"

Abstract: The biogeochemical cycling of silicon (Si) in seawater plays important roles in
the drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide, ranging in timescales from the
growth of phytoplankton to the weathering of continents. Si is an essential
nutrient for diatoms, which are responsible for nearly half of the export of
organic carbon to the seafloor. Quantifying the distribution of Si in the
ocean is important for understanding the controls on diatom productivity,
relative to other types of phytoplankton. Si isotopes provide a powerful tool
not only for constraining, but also understanding the processes (such as
productivity, dissolution and ocean circulation) that control the concentration
of Si in seawater. Here, I will discuss biogeochemical cycling of Si in
seawater, what Si isotopes can tell us about modern marine processes, and how
Si isotopes can be used in paleoceanography for reconstructing past nutrient
cycling.