Switches between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen–phosphorus co‐limitation in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean
Abstract Concentrations of bioavailable inorganic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are simultaneously depleted in the (sub)tropical North Atlantic Ocean, but it remains unclear if phytoplankton growth rates are N limited or N–P co‐limited. Here we present findings from three bottle‐scale experiments...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.12541 https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/lno.12541 |
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crwiley:10.1002/lno.12541 2024-06-23T07:54:56+00:00 Switches between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen–phosphorus co‐limitation in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean Yuan, Zhongwei Achterberg, Eric P. Engel, Anja Dai, Minhan Browning, Thomas J. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.12541 https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/lno.12541 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Limnology and Oceanography volume 69, issue 4, page 1005-1013 ISSN 0024-3590 1939-5590 journal-article 2024 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12541 2024-05-31T08:15:46Z Abstract Concentrations of bioavailable inorganic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are simultaneously depleted in the (sub)tropical North Atlantic Ocean, but it remains unclear if phytoplankton growth rates are N limited or N–P co‐limited. Here we present findings from three bottle‐scale experiments using a four‐by‐four matrix of low‐level N and P additions, conducted at one site in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. Phytoplankton responses were assessed both in terms of bulk chlorophyll a (Chl a ) concentrations and intracellular Chl a of dominant Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus groups. Two matrix experiments suggested that N was independently limiting in situ growth, with no co‐limiting role for P, while the third showed co‐limitation by both N and P in this region. This switch from N limitation to N–P co‐limitation was attributed to an episodic wet deposition event that supplied N, thereby stimulating phytoplankton growth and consuming available P. Such rapid transitions in nutrient limitation in response to environmental forcing might be common in oceanic systems with multiple depleted nutrients. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Wiley Online Library Limnology and Oceanography |
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Open Polar |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
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English |
description |
Abstract Concentrations of bioavailable inorganic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are simultaneously depleted in the (sub)tropical North Atlantic Ocean, but it remains unclear if phytoplankton growth rates are N limited or N–P co‐limited. Here we present findings from three bottle‐scale experiments using a four‐by‐four matrix of low‐level N and P additions, conducted at one site in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. Phytoplankton responses were assessed both in terms of bulk chlorophyll a (Chl a ) concentrations and intracellular Chl a of dominant Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus groups. Two matrix experiments suggested that N was independently limiting in situ growth, with no co‐limiting role for P, while the third showed co‐limitation by both N and P in this region. This switch from N limitation to N–P co‐limitation was attributed to an episodic wet deposition event that supplied N, thereby stimulating phytoplankton growth and consuming available P. Such rapid transitions in nutrient limitation in response to environmental forcing might be common in oceanic systems with multiple depleted nutrients. |
author2 |
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Yuan, Zhongwei Achterberg, Eric P. Engel, Anja Dai, Minhan Browning, Thomas J. |
spellingShingle |
Yuan, Zhongwei Achterberg, Eric P. Engel, Anja Dai, Minhan Browning, Thomas J. Switches between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen–phosphorus co‐limitation in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean |
author_facet |
Yuan, Zhongwei Achterberg, Eric P. Engel, Anja Dai, Minhan Browning, Thomas J. |
author_sort |
Yuan, Zhongwei |
title |
Switches between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen–phosphorus co‐limitation in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean |
title_short |
Switches between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen–phosphorus co‐limitation in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean |
title_full |
Switches between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen–phosphorus co‐limitation in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean |
title_fullStr |
Switches between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen–phosphorus co‐limitation in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
Switches between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen–phosphorus co‐limitation in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean |
title_sort |
switches between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen–phosphorus co‐limitation in the subtropical north atlantic ocean |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.12541 https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/lno.12541 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
Limnology and Oceanography volume 69, issue 4, page 1005-1013 ISSN 0024-3590 1939-5590 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12541 |
container_title |
Limnology and Oceanography |
_version_ |
1802647279819030528 |