Global Ocean Particulate Organic Carbon flux merged with satellite parameters

Parameters that characterize POC flux vs. depth (export flux ratio, labile fraction, remineralization length scale) are then fit to the aligned dataset. Times of the year dominated by different size compositions are identified and fit separately in regions of the ocean where phytoplankton cell size showed enough dynamic range over the annual cycle. Considering all data together, our findings support the paradigm of high export flux but low transfer efficiency in more productive regions and vice versa for oligotrophic regions.

However, when parsing by dominant size class, we find periods dominated by small cells to have both greater export flux and lower transfer efficiency than periods when large cells comprise a greater proportion of the phytoplankton community.