Table 1 Estimated annual carbon fixation for three model species, H. grandifolius, P. decipiens, and CCA using published photosynthetic parameters48,49,50 and modelled seafloor light across the Ross Sea and entire Antarctic region (Gattuso et al., 202044)
Species | Carbon fixed (Tg yr−1) | Percentage of global carbon fixed by macroalgae | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Ross Sea | Antarctica | Ross Sea | Antarctica | |
H. grandifolius | 0.2–1.0 | 3–14 | 0.02–0.08 | 0.3–1.1 |
P. decipiens | 0.6–1.2 | 7.5–15 | 0.05–0.09 | 0.6–1.2 |
CCA | 0.1–0.5 | 1.3–7.9 | 0.008–0.03 | 0.1–0.6 |
Total | 1–2.7 | 12–37 | 0.07–0.2 | 0.9–2.8 |