Tracing the origins and transformations of fluorescence dissolved organic matter within western and eastern Greenland’s shelves: a comparative study

Differences in the composition and spatial distribution of Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter (FDOM) between western and eastern Greenland shelf waters reflect the interplay of distinct regional environmental drivers-such as glacial meltwater inputs and stratification effects – which shape local D...

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Main Authors: Monika Zabłocka, Piotr Kowalczuk, Joanna Stoń-Egiert, Elena Terzić, Evanthia Bournaka, Artur P. Palacz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Marine Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1476768/full
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author Monika Zabłocka
Piotr Kowalczuk
Joanna Stoń-Egiert
Elena Terzić
Elena Terzić
Evanthia Bournaka
Artur P. Palacz
author_facet Monika Zabłocka
Piotr Kowalczuk
Joanna Stoń-Egiert
Elena Terzić
Elena Terzić
Evanthia Bournaka
Artur P. Palacz
author_sort Monika Zabłocka
collection DOAJ
description Differences in the composition and spatial distribution of Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter (FDOM) between western and eastern Greenland shelf waters reflect the interplay of distinct regional environmental drivers-such as glacial meltwater inputs and stratification effects – which shape local DOM processing and biogeochemical cycles. These contrasts provide unique opportunity to understand how Arctic coastal system responds to climatic changes. To investigate these dynamics, we assessed FDOM by an application of multivariate statistical method - Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) on samples collected in July 2021 and August 2022. The PARAFAC enabled the distinction of five components representing both humic-like (C1 (λEx/λEm 318/392), C2 (λEx/λEm 363(261)/445), C5 (λEx/λEm 399/513)) and protein-like (C3 (tyrosine) − λEx/λEm 267/305, (C4 (tryptophan) − λEx/λEm 285/345)) substances, showing variations between western and eastern shelves and across different water layers (surface, deep chlorophyll a maximum depth – DCM, and below it (i.e., in the West Slope Greenland Core water – WSGC, and in the core Polar Water - PW). The analysis showed that western DOM is almost equally composed of humic-like (51%) and protein-like (49%) substances, while the eastern shelf is dominated by protein-like FDOM (56%), indicating a stronger influence of autochthonous production in the east. The highest fluorescence intensity was measured of the protein-like component C3 in both eastern (PW layer) and western (DCM layer) shelves. In the surface waters of the western Greenland shelf we found a statistically significant (p<0.001), although relatively weak (R = 0.27) correlation between Ip and the total chlorophyll a concentration, Tchla. Derived values of spectral indices (HIX, BIX, and FI), and a ratio of fluorescence intensities of protein-like components to fluorescence intensities of humic-like components, Ip/Ih, indicated that the FDOM in analyzed water was predominantly autochthonous, characterized with low molecular weight and low-saturation aromatic rings. This findings provide new insights into FDOM composition in the Arctic under changing climatic conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-1405fe3793be43938ad7359025aa75c22025-01-23T05:10:18ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452025-01-011110.3389/fmars.2024.14767681476768Tracing the origins and transformations of fluorescence dissolved organic matter within western and eastern Greenland’s shelves: a comparative studyMonika Zabłocka0Piotr Kowalczuk1Joanna Stoń-Egiert2Elena Terzić3Elena Terzić4Evanthia Bournaka5Artur P. Palacz6Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandInstitute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandInstitute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandInstitute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandDivision for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bośković Institute, Zagreb, CroatiaDHI, Hørsholm, DenmarkInstitute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandDifferences in the composition and spatial distribution of Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter (FDOM) between western and eastern Greenland shelf waters reflect the interplay of distinct regional environmental drivers-such as glacial meltwater inputs and stratification effects – which shape local DOM processing and biogeochemical cycles. These contrasts provide unique opportunity to understand how Arctic coastal system responds to climatic changes. To investigate these dynamics, we assessed FDOM by an application of multivariate statistical method - Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) on samples collected in July 2021 and August 2022. The PARAFAC enabled the distinction of five components representing both humic-like (C1 (λEx/λEm 318/392), C2 (λEx/λEm 363(261)/445), C5 (λEx/λEm 399/513)) and protein-like (C3 (tyrosine) − λEx/λEm 267/305, (C4 (tryptophan) − λEx/λEm 285/345)) substances, showing variations between western and eastern shelves and across different water layers (surface, deep chlorophyll a maximum depth – DCM, and below it (i.e., in the West Slope Greenland Core water – WSGC, and in the core Polar Water - PW). The analysis showed that western DOM is almost equally composed of humic-like (51%) and protein-like (49%) substances, while the eastern shelf is dominated by protein-like FDOM (56%), indicating a stronger influence of autochthonous production in the east. The highest fluorescence intensity was measured of the protein-like component C3 in both eastern (PW layer) and western (DCM layer) shelves. In the surface waters of the western Greenland shelf we found a statistically significant (p<0.001), although relatively weak (R = 0.27) correlation between Ip and the total chlorophyll a concentration, Tchla. Derived values of spectral indices (HIX, BIX, and FI), and a ratio of fluorescence intensities of protein-like components to fluorescence intensities of humic-like components, Ip/Ih, indicated that the FDOM in analyzed water was predominantly autochthonous, characterized with low molecular weight and low-saturation aromatic rings. This findings provide new insights into FDOM composition in the Arctic under changing climatic conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1476768/fulldissolved organic matterabsorbancefluorescenceArctic OceanGreenland shelfPARAFAC
spellingShingle Monika Zabłocka
Piotr Kowalczuk
Joanna Stoń-Egiert
Elena Terzić
Elena Terzić
Evanthia Bournaka
Artur P. Palacz
Tracing the origins and transformations of fluorescence dissolved organic matter within western and eastern Greenland’s shelves: a comparative study
Frontiers in Marine Science
dissolved organic matter
absorbance
fluorescence
Arctic Ocean
Greenland shelf
PARAFAC
title Tracing the origins and transformations of fluorescence dissolved organic matter within western and eastern Greenland’s shelves: a comparative study
title_full Tracing the origins and transformations of fluorescence dissolved organic matter within western and eastern Greenland’s shelves: a comparative study
title_fullStr Tracing the origins and transformations of fluorescence dissolved organic matter within western and eastern Greenland’s shelves: a comparative study
title_full_unstemmed Tracing the origins and transformations of fluorescence dissolved organic matter within western and eastern Greenland’s shelves: a comparative study
title_short Tracing the origins and transformations of fluorescence dissolved organic matter within western and eastern Greenland’s shelves: a comparative study
title_sort tracing the origins and transformations of fluorescence dissolved organic matter within western and eastern greenland s shelves a comparative study
topic dissolved organic matter
absorbance
fluorescence
Arctic Ocean
Greenland shelf
PARAFAC
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1476768/full
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