Spatial variability of iron in the surface water of the northwestern North Pacific Ocean

Sources of natural Fe(III)-complexing organic ligands which control vertical distributions of Fe(III) hydroxide solubilities [Fe(III) solubility,<0.025 μm] and labile dissolved Fe (<0.22 μm) concentrations were studied at the subarctic and subtropical surface waters (5–300-m depth) in the northwestern North Pacific Ocean during June 2002. High Fe(III) solubility values (0.7–1.3 nM) were observed at the depth of high chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations in the surface mixed layer with no strong correlation between Fe(III) solubility and size-fractionated Chl a concentrations. However, a significant correlation was found between Fe(III) solubility values and heterotrophic bacteria abundance at 5–100-m depth in the subarctic coastal water. The high Fe(III) solubility observed in the surface mixed layer is probably due to the production of natural Fe(III)-complexing organic ligands, such as siderophores, which were possibly released by specific phytoplankton or bacteria species. Higher Fe(III) solubility values than the labile dissolved Fe concentrations in the surface waters indicate that natural Fe(III)-complexing organic ligands are in excess of labile dissolved Fe concentrations. The Fe(III) solubility levels appeared to increase with depth in mid-depth waters (100–300-m depth), especially in the subarctic waters, in association with higher iron levels (labile dissolved Fe and dissolvable Fe concentrations), nutrient concentrations and humic-type fluorescence intensity. The relatively strong linear correlations between labile dissolved Fe concentrations or Fe(III) solubility values and humic-type fluorescence intensity in mid-depth waters suggest that the labile dissolved Fe concentrations and Fe(III) solubility in mid-depth waters are primarily associated with humic-type fluorescent organic matter produced through the oxidative decomposition and transformation of sinking biogenic organic matter. Humic-type fluorescent organic matter (i.e., marine dissolved humic substances) may thus account for a significant fraction of the Fe(III)-complexing organic ligands, which control Fe(III) solubility and labile dissolved Fe concentrations in mid-depth waters.