Work

Respiration Rates in the Global Mesopelagic Ocean

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Respiration in the mesopelagic layer of the oceans (200–1,000 dbar) is a key factor controlling the biological carbon pump, as it attenuates the downward flux of organic carbon to the ocean interior. Using a global data set of dissolved oxygen and transient tracer gas measurements, we report spatially resolved oxygen utilization rates (OUR) across 34 water masses of the global mesopelagic ocean. We find that OURs ranged between 0.6 and 27.3 μmol kg −1 yr −1 , varying both within and across water masses. Two main patterns emerge from our analysis: (a) OURs in central water masses (150–500 dbar) shared patterns with downward organic carbon flux proxies, and (b) OURs in intermediate and deep water masses (500–1,500 dbar) were overall consistent with basin‐scale circulation and aging patterns. These findings will help to constrain and parameterize mesopelagic respiration rates, a key component of global biogeochemical models.

Source: Geophysical Research Letters

DOI: 10.1029/2025gl118584

Authors: Markel Gómez‐Letona, Xosé Antón Álvarez‐Salgado

Institutions: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas

Language: English

Topic: Marine and coastal ecosystems

Subfield: Oceanography

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,190