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Ammonium accumulation during a silicate-limited diatom bloom indicates the potential for ammonia emission events

Ammonium accumulation during a silicate-limited diatom bloom indicates the potential for ammonia emission events
Ammonium accumulation during a silicate-limited diatom bloom indicates the potential for ammonia emission events
Ammonium (NH4+) concentration was measured at 15 stations in the NE Atlantic during the declining phase of the spring diatom bloom as part of the FISHES 2001 cruise. The NE Atlantic temperate spring bloom is one of the largest seasonal events in the oceanic cycle of primary productivity and represents the conversion of large amounts of oxidized nitrogen to organic (reduced) nitrogen by planktonic photosynthesis, much of which is recycled by heterotrophs as reduced N (DON and ammonium). We might expect recycled ammonium to be rapidly re-used by photosynthesizers. However, during the FISHES cruise the decline of the bloom was accompanied by a substantial buildup of dissolved ammonium (from 100 nM to > 500 nM near the sea surface) caused by a temporary imbalance in production and consumption processes. Calculations of air–sea ammonia (NH3) flux under assumed ‘normal’ ‘peak bloom’ and ‘post-diatom-bloom’ conditions are presented and these demonstrate that over a wide range of temperatures, post-bloom accumulation of ammonium will lead to changes in the magnitude and direction of air–sea ammonia flux. If our results are generally applicable then the seasonal succession of plankton communities may be accompanied by periods of anomalously high ammonium concentration and hence be disproportionately important for air–sea ammonia flux. Once in the atmosphere, ammonia neutralizes acidity and in doing so plays a potentially significant role in climate forcing via aerosol formation.
Ammonia, Air–sea interaction, Phytoplankton, Spring diatom bloom, f-ratio, Regeneration
0304-4203
63-75
Johnson, M.
f641d826-cdd9-48dd-a328-5faa2ff570ff
Sanders, R.
02c163c1-8f5e-49ad-857c-d28f7da66c65
Avgoustidi, V.
80efc566-df9d-4e21-96d1-ea45425a8614
Lucas, M.
48aafe1b-184a-4925-9e5a-028699026b0b
Brown, L.
71ebbeab-98c3-45f3-b3f2-200387870709
Hansell, D.
56c473b7-ba28-47f2-9114-8801ca73d186
Moore, M.
7ec80b7b-bedc-4dd5-8924-0f5d01927b12
Gibb, S.
531b5bc0-c85c-4087-8fd5-f0b009438dd3
Liss, P.
04c8cbaf-e161-4c5e-bf03-8cc4feeaccab
Jickells, T.
ee563c37-f4bc-413b-8e3f-8393e7c13672
Johnson, M.
f641d826-cdd9-48dd-a328-5faa2ff570ff
Sanders, R.
02c163c1-8f5e-49ad-857c-d28f7da66c65
Avgoustidi, V.
80efc566-df9d-4e21-96d1-ea45425a8614
Lucas, M.
48aafe1b-184a-4925-9e5a-028699026b0b
Brown, L.
71ebbeab-98c3-45f3-b3f2-200387870709
Hansell, D.
56c473b7-ba28-47f2-9114-8801ca73d186
Moore, M.
7ec80b7b-bedc-4dd5-8924-0f5d01927b12
Gibb, S.
531b5bc0-c85c-4087-8fd5-f0b009438dd3
Liss, P.
04c8cbaf-e161-4c5e-bf03-8cc4feeaccab
Jickells, T.
ee563c37-f4bc-413b-8e3f-8393e7c13672

Johnson, M., Sanders, R., Avgoustidi, V., Lucas, M., Brown, L., Hansell, D., Moore, M., Gibb, S., Liss, P. and Jickells, T. (2007) Ammonium accumulation during a silicate-limited diatom bloom indicates the potential for ammonia emission events. Marine Chemistry, 106 (1-2), 63-75. (doi:10.1016/j.marchem.2006.09.006).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Ammonium (NH4+) concentration was measured at 15 stations in the NE Atlantic during the declining phase of the spring diatom bloom as part of the FISHES 2001 cruise. The NE Atlantic temperate spring bloom is one of the largest seasonal events in the oceanic cycle of primary productivity and represents the conversion of large amounts of oxidized nitrogen to organic (reduced) nitrogen by planktonic photosynthesis, much of which is recycled by heterotrophs as reduced N (DON and ammonium). We might expect recycled ammonium to be rapidly re-used by photosynthesizers. However, during the FISHES cruise the decline of the bloom was accompanied by a substantial buildup of dissolved ammonium (from 100 nM to > 500 nM near the sea surface) caused by a temporary imbalance in production and consumption processes. Calculations of air–sea ammonia (NH3) flux under assumed ‘normal’ ‘peak bloom’ and ‘post-diatom-bloom’ conditions are presented and these demonstrate that over a wide range of temperatures, post-bloom accumulation of ammonium will lead to changes in the magnitude and direction of air–sea ammonia flux. If our results are generally applicable then the seasonal succession of plankton communities may be accompanied by periods of anomalously high ammonium concentration and hence be disproportionately important for air–sea ammonia flux. Once in the atmosphere, ammonia neutralizes acidity and in doing so plays a potentially significant role in climate forcing via aerosol formation.

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More information

Published date: July 2007
Keywords: Ammonia, Air–sea interaction, Phytoplankton, Spring diatom bloom, f-ratio, Regeneration

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 49717
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/49717
ISSN: 0304-4203
PURE UUID: edc31b48-5522-4c30-8e95-f8f9155ec252
ORCID for M. Moore: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9541-6046

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 26 Nov 2007
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:10

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Contributors

Author: M. Johnson
Author: R. Sanders
Author: V. Avgoustidi
Author: M. Lucas
Author: L. Brown
Author: D. Hansell
Author: M. Moore ORCID iD
Author: S. Gibb
Author: P. Liss
Author: T. Jickells

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