Light, ammonium, pH, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification
Abstract The biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen (N) plays a critical role in supporting marine ecosystems and controlling primary production. Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia (NH 3 ) by microorganisms, is an important process in the marine N cycle, supplying nitrate (), the primary source of...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.12359 https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/am-pdf/10.1002/lno.12359 https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/lno.12359 |
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crwiley:10.1002/lno.12359 2024-09-15T17:59:43+00:00 Light, ammonium, pH, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification Proctor, Claudette Coupel, Pierre Casciotti, Karen Tremblay, Jean‐Eric Zakem, Emily Arrigo, Kevin R. Mills, Matthew M. National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.12359 https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/am-pdf/10.1002/lno.12359 https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/lno.12359 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#am http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Limnology and Oceanography volume 68, issue 7, page 1490-1503 ISSN 0024-3590 1939-5590 journal-article 2023 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12359 2024-08-30T04:12:02Z Abstract The biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen (N) plays a critical role in supporting marine ecosystems and controlling primary production. Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia (NH 3 ) by microorganisms, is an important process in the marine N cycle, supplying nitrate (), the primary source of N that fuels new phytoplankton growth, and the primary substrate for the microbial process of denitrification. Understanding nitrification in the Chukchi Sea, the shallow sea overlying the continental shelf north of Alaska and the Bering Strait, is particularly important as phytoplankton growth there has been shown to be limited by N. However, the controls on nitrification in the water column and potential effects of climate change remain unknown. This study seeks to characterize the controls on nitrification in the Chukchi Sea. We found light to be a strong control on nitrification rates. Nitrification was undetectable at light levels above 23 μ mol photons m −2 s −1 . Subsequently, sea ice concentration was related to nitrification, with rates being higher at stations with high ice cover where light transmission to the water column was reduced. High ammonium () concentrations also enhanced nitrification, suggesting that nitrifying organisms were substrate‐limited, likely due to competition for from phytoplankton. Unlike previous experimental studies, we found that nitrification rates were higher under low pH conditions. As the effects of ocean acidification and warming disproportionately impact the Arctic, nitrification rates will undoubtedly be affected. Our results will help guide future studies on potential implications of climate change on the biogeochemistry of N in the Chukchi Sea. Article in Journal/Newspaper Bering Strait Chukchi Chukchi Sea Climate change Ocean acidification Phytoplankton Sea ice Alaska Wiley Online Library Limnology and Oceanography 68 7 1490 1503 |
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English |
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Abstract The biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen (N) plays a critical role in supporting marine ecosystems and controlling primary production. Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia (NH 3 ) by microorganisms, is an important process in the marine N cycle, supplying nitrate (), the primary source of N that fuels new phytoplankton growth, and the primary substrate for the microbial process of denitrification. Understanding nitrification in the Chukchi Sea, the shallow sea overlying the continental shelf north of Alaska and the Bering Strait, is particularly important as phytoplankton growth there has been shown to be limited by N. However, the controls on nitrification in the water column and potential effects of climate change remain unknown. This study seeks to characterize the controls on nitrification in the Chukchi Sea. We found light to be a strong control on nitrification rates. Nitrification was undetectable at light levels above 23 μ mol photons m −2 s −1 . Subsequently, sea ice concentration was related to nitrification, with rates being higher at stations with high ice cover where light transmission to the water column was reduced. High ammonium () concentrations also enhanced nitrification, suggesting that nitrifying organisms were substrate‐limited, likely due to competition for from phytoplankton. Unlike previous experimental studies, we found that nitrification rates were higher under low pH conditions. As the effects of ocean acidification and warming disproportionately impact the Arctic, nitrification rates will undoubtedly be affected. Our results will help guide future studies on potential implications of climate change on the biogeochemistry of N in the Chukchi Sea. |
author2 |
National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Proctor, Claudette Coupel, Pierre Casciotti, Karen Tremblay, Jean‐Eric Zakem, Emily Arrigo, Kevin R. Mills, Matthew M. |
spellingShingle |
Proctor, Claudette Coupel, Pierre Casciotti, Karen Tremblay, Jean‐Eric Zakem, Emily Arrigo, Kevin R. Mills, Matthew M. Light, ammonium, pH, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification |
author_facet |
Proctor, Claudette Coupel, Pierre Casciotti, Karen Tremblay, Jean‐Eric Zakem, Emily Arrigo, Kevin R. Mills, Matthew M. |
author_sort |
Proctor, Claudette |
title |
Light, ammonium, pH, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification |
title_short |
Light, ammonium, pH, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification |
title_full |
Light, ammonium, pH, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification |
title_fullStr |
Light, ammonium, pH, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification |
title_full_unstemmed |
Light, ammonium, pH, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification |
title_sort |
light, ammonium, ph, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.12359 https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/am-pdf/10.1002/lno.12359 https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/lno.12359 |
genre |
Bering Strait Chukchi Chukchi Sea Climate change Ocean acidification Phytoplankton Sea ice Alaska |
genre_facet |
Bering Strait Chukchi Chukchi Sea Climate change Ocean acidification Phytoplankton Sea ice Alaska |
op_source |
Limnology and Oceanography volume 68, issue 7, page 1490-1503 ISSN 0024-3590 1939-5590 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#am http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12359 |
container_title |
Limnology and Oceanography |
container_volume |
68 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
1490 |
op_container_end_page |
1503 |
_version_ |
1810436820884783104 |