Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics

The C:N ratio is a critical parameter used in both global ocean carbon models and field studies to understand carbon and nutrient cycling as well as to estimate exported carbon from the euphotic zone. The so-called Redfield ratio (C:N = 6.6 by atoms) [Redfield et al., 1963] is widely used for such c...

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Published in:Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Main Authors: Daly, K.L., Wallace, Douglas W.R., Smith, W.O., Skoog, A., Lara, R., Gosselin, M., Falck, E., Yager, P.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: AGU (American Geophysical Union) 2000
Subjects:
Online Access:https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/325/
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/325/1/jgrc7585.pdf
https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900071
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spelling ftoceanrep:oai:oceanrep.geomar.de:325 2024-09-30T14:28:03+00:00 Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics Daly, K.L. Wallace, Douglas W.R. Smith, W.O. Skoog, A. Lara, R. Gosselin, M. Falck, E. Yager, P. 2000 text https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/325/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/325/1/jgrc7585.pdf https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900071 en eng AGU (American Geophysical Union) https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/325/1/jgrc7585.pdf Daly, K. L., Wallace, D. W. R., Smith, W. O., Skoog, A., Lara, R., Gosselin, M., Falck, E. and Yager, P. (2000) Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics. Open Access Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 104 (C2). pp. 3185-3199. DOI 10.1029/1998JC900071 <https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900071>. doi:10.1029/1998JC900071 cc_by_3.0 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Article PeerReviewed 2000 ftoceanrep https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900071 2024-09-04T05:04:40Z The C:N ratio is a critical parameter used in both global ocean carbon models and field studies to understand carbon and nutrient cycling as well as to estimate exported carbon from the euphotic zone. The so-called Redfield ratio (C:N = 6.6 by atoms) [Redfield et al., 1963] is widely used for such calculations. Here we present data from the NE Greenland continental shelf that show that most of the C:N ratios for particulate (autotrophic and heterotrophic) and dissolved pools and rates of transformation among them exceed Redfield proportions from June to August, owing to species composition, size, and biological interactions. The ecosystem components that likely comprised sinking particles and had relatively high C:N ratios (geometric means) included (1) the particulate organic matter (C:N = 8.9) dominated by nutrient-deficient diatoms, resulting from low initial nitrate concentrations (approximately 4 μM) in Arctic surface waters; (2) the dominant zooplankton, herbivorous copepods (C:N = 9.6), having lipid storage typical of Arctic copepods; and (3) copepod fecal pellets (C:N = 33.2). Relatively high dissolved organic carbon concentrations (median 105 μM) were approximately 25 to 45 μM higher than reported for other systems and may be broadly characteristic of Arctic waters. A carbon-rich dissolved organic carbon pool also was generated during summer. Since the magnitude of carbon and nitrogen uncoupling in the surface mixed layer appeared to be greater than in other regions and occurred throughout the productive season, the C:N ratio of particulate organic matter may be a better conversion factor than the Redfield ratio to estimate carbon export for broad application in northern high-latitude systems. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Greenland Zooplankton Copepods OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) Arctic Greenland Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 104 C2 3185 3199
institution Open Polar
collection OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel)
op_collection_id ftoceanrep
language English
description The C:N ratio is a critical parameter used in both global ocean carbon models and field studies to understand carbon and nutrient cycling as well as to estimate exported carbon from the euphotic zone. The so-called Redfield ratio (C:N = 6.6 by atoms) [Redfield et al., 1963] is widely used for such calculations. Here we present data from the NE Greenland continental shelf that show that most of the C:N ratios for particulate (autotrophic and heterotrophic) and dissolved pools and rates of transformation among them exceed Redfield proportions from June to August, owing to species composition, size, and biological interactions. The ecosystem components that likely comprised sinking particles and had relatively high C:N ratios (geometric means) included (1) the particulate organic matter (C:N = 8.9) dominated by nutrient-deficient diatoms, resulting from low initial nitrate concentrations (approximately 4 μM) in Arctic surface waters; (2) the dominant zooplankton, herbivorous copepods (C:N = 9.6), having lipid storage typical of Arctic copepods; and (3) copepod fecal pellets (C:N = 33.2). Relatively high dissolved organic carbon concentrations (median 105 μM) were approximately 25 to 45 μM higher than reported for other systems and may be broadly characteristic of Arctic waters. A carbon-rich dissolved organic carbon pool also was generated during summer. Since the magnitude of carbon and nitrogen uncoupling in the surface mixed layer appeared to be greater than in other regions and occurred throughout the productive season, the C:N ratio of particulate organic matter may be a better conversion factor than the Redfield ratio to estimate carbon export for broad application in northern high-latitude systems.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Daly, K.L.
Wallace, Douglas W.R.
Smith, W.O.
Skoog, A.
Lara, R.
Gosselin, M.
Falck, E.
Yager, P.
spellingShingle Daly, K.L.
Wallace, Douglas W.R.
Smith, W.O.
Skoog, A.
Lara, R.
Gosselin, M.
Falck, E.
Yager, P.
Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics
author_facet Daly, K.L.
Wallace, Douglas W.R.
Smith, W.O.
Skoog, A.
Lara, R.
Gosselin, M.
Falck, E.
Yager, P.
author_sort Daly, K.L.
title Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics
title_short Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics
title_full Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics
title_fullStr Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics
title_full_unstemmed Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics
title_sort non-redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the arctic: effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics
publisher AGU (American Geophysical Union)
publishDate 2000
url https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/325/
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/325/1/jgrc7585.pdf
https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900071
geographic Arctic
Greenland
geographic_facet Arctic
Greenland
genre Arctic
Arctic
Greenland
Zooplankton
Copepods
genre_facet Arctic
Arctic
Greenland
Zooplankton
Copepods
op_relation https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/325/1/jgrc7585.pdf
Daly, K. L., Wallace, D. W. R., Smith, W. O., Skoog, A., Lara, R., Gosselin, M., Falck, E. and Yager, P. (2000) Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics. Open Access Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 104 (C2). pp. 3185-3199. DOI 10.1029/1998JC900071 <https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900071>.
doi:10.1029/1998JC900071
op_rights cc_by_3.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900071
container_title Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
container_volume 104
container_issue C2
container_start_page 3185
op_container_end_page 3199
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