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 nl., 1963] is widely used for such c...
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ftwilliammarycol:oai:scholarworks.wm.edu:vimsarticles-1286 2023-06-11T04:08:48+02:00 Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics Daly, Kendra L Wallace, Douglas W.R. Smith, Walker O., Jr. Skoog, Annelie Lara, Ruben Gosselin, Michel Falck, Eva Yager, Patricia L. 1999-02-15T08:00:00Z application/pdf https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/287 doi: 10.1029/1998JC900071 https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/1286/viewcontent/1998JC900071.pdf unknown W&M ScholarWorks https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/287 doi: 10.1029/1998JC900071 https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/1286/viewcontent/1998JC900071.pdf VIMS Articles Biological Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles Marine Biology text 1999 ftwilliammarycol https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900071 2023-05-04T17:37:09Z 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 nl., 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 mu M) in Arctic surface waters, (2) the dominant zooplankton, herbivorous capepods (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 mu M) were approximately 25 to 45 mu M 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 far broad application in northern high-latitude systems. Text Arctic Greenland Zooplankton Copepods W&M ScholarWorks Arctic Greenland Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 104 C2 3185 3199 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
W&M ScholarWorks |
op_collection_id |
ftwilliammarycol |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Biological Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles Marine Biology |
spellingShingle |
Biological Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles Marine Biology Daly, Kendra L Wallace, Douglas W.R. Smith, Walker O., Jr. Skoog, Annelie Lara, Ruben Gosselin, Michel Falck, Eva Yager, Patricia L. Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics |
topic_facet |
Biological Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles Marine Biology |
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 nl., 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 mu M) in Arctic surface waters, (2) the dominant zooplankton, herbivorous capepods (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 mu M) were approximately 25 to 45 mu M 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 far broad application in northern high-latitude systems. |
format |
Text |
author |
Daly, Kendra L Wallace, Douglas W.R. Smith, Walker O., Jr. Skoog, Annelie Lara, Ruben Gosselin, Michel Falck, Eva Yager, Patricia L. |
author_facet |
Daly, Kendra L Wallace, Douglas W.R. Smith, Walker O., Jr. Skoog, Annelie Lara, Ruben Gosselin, Michel Falck, Eva Yager, Patricia L. |
author_sort |
Daly, Kendra 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 |
W&M ScholarWorks |
publishDate |
1999 |
url |
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/287 https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/1286/viewcontent/1998JC900071.pdf |
geographic |
Arctic Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Greenland Zooplankton Copepods |
genre_facet |
Arctic Greenland Zooplankton Copepods |
op_source |
VIMS Articles |
op_relation |
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/287 doi: 10.1029/1998JC900071 https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/1286/viewcontent/1998JC900071.pdf |
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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1768382324570849280 |