Iron, phosphorus, and nitrogen supply ratios define the biogeography of nitrogen fixation
Iron, phosphorus, and nitrogen supply ratios define the biogeography of nitrogen fixation
We present a unified conceptual framework describing the competition between diazotrophs and non–nitrogen-fixing marine plankton and their interaction with three essential nutrient elements: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and iron (Fe). The theory explains the global biogeography of diazotrophs and the observed large-scale variations in surface ocean nutrient concentrations. The ratios in which N, P, and Fe are delivered to the surface ocean, relative to the demands of the phytoplankton community, define several biogeochemical provinces in terms of the limiting nutrients and the presence or absence of diazotrophs. Nutrient supply ratios provided by a global ecosystem model support the theoretical view that diazotroph biogeography is dominated by the Fe : N supply ratio, with the P : N supply ratio taking an important secondary role. The theory yields robust predictions for which strong empirical support is found in global observations of surface nutrient concentrations and diazotroph abundance.
2059-2075
Ward, Ben A.
9063af30-e344-4626-9470-8db7c1543d05
Dutkiewicz, Stephanie
a704ddd3-bd6c-4f4a-ba0c-f6420c9c3b3b
Moore, C. Mark
7ec80b7b-bedc-4dd5-8924-0f5d01927b12
Follows, Michael J.
12c723bc-f2f8-43f4-a309-bff6885b9c7c
November 2013
Ward, Ben A.
9063af30-e344-4626-9470-8db7c1543d05
Dutkiewicz, Stephanie
a704ddd3-bd6c-4f4a-ba0c-f6420c9c3b3b
Moore, C. Mark
7ec80b7b-bedc-4dd5-8924-0f5d01927b12
Follows, Michael J.
12c723bc-f2f8-43f4-a309-bff6885b9c7c
Ward, Ben A., Dutkiewicz, Stephanie, Moore, C. Mark and Follows, Michael J.
(2013)
Iron, phosphorus, and nitrogen supply ratios define the biogeography of nitrogen fixation.
Limnology and Oceanography, 58 (6), .
(doi:10.4319/lo.2013.58.6.2059).
Abstract
We present a unified conceptual framework describing the competition between diazotrophs and non–nitrogen-fixing marine plankton and their interaction with three essential nutrient elements: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and iron (Fe). The theory explains the global biogeography of diazotrophs and the observed large-scale variations in surface ocean nutrient concentrations. The ratios in which N, P, and Fe are delivered to the surface ocean, relative to the demands of the phytoplankton community, define several biogeochemical provinces in terms of the limiting nutrients and the presence or absence of diazotrophs. Nutrient supply ratios provided by a global ecosystem model support the theoretical view that diazotroph biogeography is dominated by the Fe : N supply ratio, with the P : N supply ratio taking an important secondary role. The theory yields robust predictions for which strong empirical support is found in global observations of surface nutrient concentrations and diazotroph abundance.
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Published date: November 2013
Organisations:
Ocean and Earth Science
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Local EPrints ID: 360229
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/360229
ISSN: 0024-3590
PURE UUID: ac392aea-71e0-4688-8268-a984e0afe081
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Date deposited: 29 Nov 2013 17:20
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:03
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Author:
Stephanie Dutkiewicz
Author:
Michael J. Follows
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