| Summary: | Nitrogen fixation is the source of all biologically usable nitrogen on earth. In the ocean, specialized nitrogen fixing microorganisms take nitrogen gas from the atmosphere and convert it into forms of nitrogen that other organisms use to grow. Our research investigates the extent of nitrogen fixation in the coastal Alaskan Arctic and compares the rate of nitrogen fixation to primary production and uptake (use) rates of other nitrogen compounds including ammonium, nitrate, urea and amino acids. Samples were collected over two consecutive summers in 2016 and 2017. The effort encompassed coastal regions in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas with a specific interest in the areas of high productivity surrounding the Hanna Shoal region of the Chukchi Sea.
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