@article{fdi:010066917,
  title = {{B}iofilm-like properties of the sea surface and predicted effects on air-sea {CO}2 exchange},
  author = {{W}url, {O}. and {S}tolle, {C}. and {V}an {T}huoc, {C}. and {T}hu, {P}. {T}. and {M}ari, {X}avier},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ecause the sea surface controls various interactions between the ocean and the atmosphere, it has a profound function for marine biogeochemistry and climate regulation. {T}he sea surface is the gateway for the exchange of climate-relevant gases, heat and particles. {T}hus, in order to determine how the ocean and the atmosphere interact and respond to environmental changes on a global scale, the characterization and understanding of the sea surface are essential. {T}he uppermost part of the water column is defined as the sea-surface microlayer and experiences strong spatial and temporal dynamics, mainly due to meteorological forcing. {W}ave-damped areas at the sea surface are caused by the accumulation of surface-active organic material and are defined as slicks. {N}atural slicks are observed frequently but their biogeochemical properties are poorly understood. {I}n the present study, we found up to 40 times more transparent exopolymer particles ({TEP}), the foundation of any biofilm, in slicks compared to the underlying bulk water at multiple stations in the {N}orth {P}acific, {S}outh {C}hina {S}ea, and {B}altic {S}ea. {W}e found a significant lower enrichment of {TEP} (up to 6) in non-slick sea surfaces compared to its underlying bulk water. {M}oreover, slicks were characterized by a large microbial biomass, another shared feature with conventional biofilms on solid surfaces. {C}ompared to non-slick samples (avg. pairwise similarity of 70%), the community composition of bacteria in slicks was increasingly (avg. pairwise similarity of 45%) different from bulk water communities, indicating that the {TEP}-matrix creates specific environments for its inhabitants. {W}e, therefore, conclude that slicks can feature biofilm-like properties with the excessive accumulation of particles and microbes. {W}e also assessed the potential distribution and frequency of slick-formation in coastal and oceanic regions, and their effect on air sea {CO}2 exchange based on literature data. {W}e estimate that slicks can reduce {CO}2 fluxes by up to 15%, and, therefore, play important local and regional roles in regulating air sea interactions.},
  keywords = {{PACIFIQUE} ; {MER} {DE} {CHINE} ; {BALTIQUE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}rogress in {O}ceanography},
  volume = {144},
  numero = {},
  pages = {15--24},
  ISSN = {0079-6611},
  year = {2016},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.pocean.2016.03.002},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010066917},
}