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Nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation of bacterial productivity and growth in the oligotrophic subtropical North Atlantic

Nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation of bacterial productivity and growth in the oligotrophic subtropical North Atlantic
Nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation of bacterial productivity and growth in the oligotrophic subtropical North Atlantic
Bacterial productivity and biomass are thought to be limited by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in much of the world?s oceans. However, the mixed layer of oligotrophic oceans is often depleted in dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphate, raising the possibility that macronutrients may also limit heterotrophic bacterial growth. We used nutrient bioassay experiments to determine whether inorganic nutrients (N, P, Fe) and/or DOC could limit bacterial productivity and biomass in the central North Atlantic during the spring of 2004 (Mar-Apr). We observed that both heterotrophic bacterial productivity and biomass were co-limited by N and P in the oligotrophic North Atlantic, and additions of labile DOC (glucose) provided no stimulation unless N and P were also added. Flow cytometry results indicated that only a small subset of large cells high in nucleic acid content were responsible for the increased productivity in the combined NP amendments. In contrast, nutrient additions elicited no net change on the dominant component of the bacterial population, composed of small cells with relatively low nucleic acid content. In the combined NP treatments the relative increase in bacterial production was greater than that measured when phytoplankton productivity was relieved of nitrogen limitation. These results suggest that N and P co-limitation in the bacterial community results in increased competition between the heterotrophic and autotrophic components of the surface communities in the Central North Atlantic Ocean, and potentially impacts the cycling of organic matter by the bacterioplankton.
0024-3590
824-834
Mills, M.M.
8e317c31-d48d-48a2-85b3-de0871d01f36
Moore, C.M.
7ec80b7b-bedc-4dd5-8924-0f5d01927b12
Langlois, R.
9344b63c-4e7a-48c0-8e79-7cb8b742af2c
Milne, A.
e496b797-6206-414e-8f50-d2f2ce260fc9
Achterberg, E.P.
685ce961-8c45-4503-9f03-50f6561202b9
Nachtigall, K.
ee86baec-1d3e-475b-9934-185b566a9b25
Lochte, K.
c9b4d69e-d908-4a1d-b02a-68e3237075aa
Geider, R.J.
1a7a44c1-0468-4eba-920a-28420f6f7273
La Roche, J.
a2c0a07e-b1c8-421b-ace6-885b3d107e02
Mills, M.M.
8e317c31-d48d-48a2-85b3-de0871d01f36
Moore, C.M.
7ec80b7b-bedc-4dd5-8924-0f5d01927b12
Langlois, R.
9344b63c-4e7a-48c0-8e79-7cb8b742af2c
Milne, A.
e496b797-6206-414e-8f50-d2f2ce260fc9
Achterberg, E.P.
685ce961-8c45-4503-9f03-50f6561202b9
Nachtigall, K.
ee86baec-1d3e-475b-9934-185b566a9b25
Lochte, K.
c9b4d69e-d908-4a1d-b02a-68e3237075aa
Geider, R.J.
1a7a44c1-0468-4eba-920a-28420f6f7273
La Roche, J.
a2c0a07e-b1c8-421b-ace6-885b3d107e02

Mills, M.M., Moore, C.M., Langlois, R., Milne, A., Achterberg, E.P., Nachtigall, K., Lochte, K., Geider, R.J. and La Roche, J. (2008) Nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation of bacterial productivity and growth in the oligotrophic subtropical North Atlantic. Limnology and Oceanography, 53 (2), 824-834. (doi:10.4319/lo.2008.53.2.0824).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Bacterial productivity and biomass are thought to be limited by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in much of the world?s oceans. However, the mixed layer of oligotrophic oceans is often depleted in dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphate, raising the possibility that macronutrients may also limit heterotrophic bacterial growth. We used nutrient bioassay experiments to determine whether inorganic nutrients (N, P, Fe) and/or DOC could limit bacterial productivity and biomass in the central North Atlantic during the spring of 2004 (Mar-Apr). We observed that both heterotrophic bacterial productivity and biomass were co-limited by N and P in the oligotrophic North Atlantic, and additions of labile DOC (glucose) provided no stimulation unless N and P were also added. Flow cytometry results indicated that only a small subset of large cells high in nucleic acid content were responsible for the increased productivity in the combined NP amendments. In contrast, nutrient additions elicited no net change on the dominant component of the bacterial population, composed of small cells with relatively low nucleic acid content. In the combined NP treatments the relative increase in bacterial production was greater than that measured when phytoplankton productivity was relieved of nitrogen limitation. These results suggest that N and P co-limitation in the bacterial community results in increased competition between the heterotrophic and autotrophic components of the surface communities in the Central North Atlantic Ocean, and potentially impacts the cycling of organic matter by the bacterioplankton.

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Published date: March 2008
Organisations: Ocean and Earth Science

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Local EPrints ID: 50779
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/50779
ISSN: 0024-3590
PURE UUID: f3c162b2-225d-47ea-ad3f-c8ff3cbe3ea1
ORCID for C.M. Moore: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9541-6046

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Date deposited: 28 Mar 2008
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:10

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Contributors

Author: M.M. Mills
Author: C.M. Moore ORCID iD
Author: R. Langlois
Author: A. Milne
Author: E.P. Achterberg
Author: K. Nachtigall
Author: K. Lochte
Author: R.J. Geider
Author: J. La Roche

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