Biogeochemical significance of transport exopolymer particles in the Indian Ocean

Abstract

The behavior of Transparent Exopolymer Particles (TEP), produced by biochemical processes, was studied for the North Indian Ocean, an area of global biogeochemical significance, during 1996 southwest monsoon. Very different behavior of TEP was found between waters of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. The TEP concentrations were lower in the Bay of Bengal due to faster scavenging from water column because of interaction with mineral particles. They were higher and occurred even in intense sub-oxic layers in the Arabian Sea. Our results support the mineral ballast theory in the Bay of Bengal and also reveal the hitherto not noticed organic matter reservoir, which seems to be in surplus, to meet the higher carbon demand by bacteria in denitrifying waters of the Arabian Sea.