Nitrite regeneration in the oligotrophic Atlantic Ocean
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Published:2022-03-07
Issue:5
Volume:19
Page:1355-1376
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ISSN:1726-4189
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Container-title:Biogeosciences
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Biogeosciences
Author:
Clark Darren R., Rees Andrew P.ORCID, Ferrera Charissa M., Al-Moosawi Lisa, Somerfield Paul J., Harris Carolyn, Quartly Graham D.ORCID, Goult Stephen, Tarran Glen, Lessin Gennadi
Abstract
Abstract. The recycling of scarce nutrient resources in the sunlit
open ocean is crucial to ecosystem function. Nitrification directs ammonium
(NH4+) derived from organic matter decomposition towards the
regeneration of nitrate (NO3-), an important resource for
photosynthetic primary producers. However, the technical challenge of making
nitrification rate measurements in oligotrophic conditions combined with the
remote nature of these environments means that data availability, and the
understanding that provides, is limited. This study reports nitrite
(NO2-) regeneration rate (RNO2 – the first product of
nitrification derived from NH4+ oxidation) over a 13 000 km
transect within the photic zone of the Atlantic Ocean. These measurements,
at relatively high resolution (order 300 km), permit the examination of
interactions between RNO2 and environmental conditions that may warrant
explicit development in model descriptions. At all locations we report
measurable RNO2 with significant variability between and within
Atlantic provinces. Statistical analysis indicated significant correlative
structure between RNO2 and ecosystem variables, explaining
∼65 % of the data variability. Differences between sampling
depths were of the same magnitude as or greater than horizontally resolved differences, identifying distinct biogeochemical niches between depth
horizons. The best overall match between RNO2 and environmental
variables combined chlorophyll-a concentration, light-phase duration, and silicate concentration (representing a short-term tracer of water column physical instability). On this basis we hypothesize that RNO2 is related to the short-term autotrophic production and heterotrophic
decomposition of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), which regenerates
NH4+ and supports NH4+ oxidation. However, this did not
explain the observation that RNO2 in the deep euphotic zone was
significantly greater in the Southern Hemisphere compared to the Northern Hemisphere. We present the complimentary hypothesis that observations reflect the
difference in DON concentration supplied by lateral transport into the gyre
interior from the Atlantic's eastern boundary upwelling ecosystems.
Funder
Natural Environment Research Council
Publisher
Copernicus GmbH
Subject
Earth-Surface Processes,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
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