Effects of Glacial Melting on Carbonate Chemistry and Primary Production in Coastal Waters off Mertz Glacier, East Antarctica

The partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO₂) at the surface ocean is a key indicator determining air–sea CO₂ fluxes, and quantitatively evaluating its driving factors is crucial for understanding the global carbon cycle. In particular, it is strongly affected by the glacier and sea ice in the Southern Ocean. Samori et al. (2026) showed that phytoplankton biological production significantly draws down pCO₂ off the Mertz Glacier, East Antarctica, during summer. Their findings also suggest that iron derived from sediment, horizontally transported to the region, likely stimulated this surface biological production. This insight provides a new perspective on how ongoing glacial melting shapes the carbon sequestration in the Southern Ocean.

Reference: Samori, N., Nomura, D., Tozawa, M., et al. (2026). Effects of glacial melting on carbonate chemistry and primary production in coastal waters off Mertz Glacier, East Antarctica. Elem. Sci. Anth, 14(1), 00039. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2025.00039