The flux of iron from continental shelf sediments: A missing source for global budgets

TLDR

The flux of dissolved iron from sediments to the water column was measured with flux chambers along the California coast over a five‑year period. High dissolved‑iron fluxes from continental shelf sediments—up to 75 times greater than pore‑water estimates—were measured along the California coast, correlated with organic‑matter oxidation, and extrapolated to suggest that shelf input rivals aerosol input and supports coastal productivity observed offshore.

Abstract

The flux of dissolved iron from sediments to the water column was measured with flux chambers along the California coast over a five‐year period. High fluxes were observed from sediments on the continental shelf. The measured fluxes were an average of 75 times larger than flux values derived from pore‐water iron gradients. The iron flux was significantly correlated with the oxidation of organic matter, which allows an extrapolation to the global shelf. The input from shelf sediments is at least as significant as the global input of dissolved iron from aerosols, which has been presumed to be the dominant external iron source. Evidence of this input is seen 100's of kilometers offshore where it can enable the high productivity of broad coastal regions seen in satellite images.