Benthic organic carbon flux and oxygen penetration depth in the Southern Ocean

At eleven sites, an in situ oxygen microprofiler was deployed for the measurement of oxygen profiles and the calculation of organic carbon fluxes. At four sites, both in situ and ex situ data were determined for high latitudes.

Based on this dataset as well as on previous published data, a relationship was established for the estimation of fluxes derived by ex situ measured O2 profiles. The fluxes of labile organic matter range from 0.5 to 37.1 mgC m**2/day. The high values determined by in situ measurements were observed in the Polar Front region (water depth of more than 4290 m) and are comparable to organic matter fluxes observed for high-productivity, upwelling areas like off West Africa.