Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

Publication Date

4-24-2007

Issue Number

2

Publication Number

GB2005

Volume Number

21

Abstract/ Summary

The equatorial Pacific Ocean is the largest natural source of CO(2) to the atmosphere, and it significantly impacts the global carbon cycle. Much of the large flux of upwelled CO(2) to the atmosphere is due to incomplete use of the available nitrate (NO(3)) and low net productivity. This high-nutrient low-chlorophyll (HNLC) condition of the equatorial upwelling zone (EUZ) has been interpreted from modeling efforts to be due to low levels of silicate ( Si( OH) 4) that limit the new production of diatoms. These ideas were incorporated into an ecosystem model, CoSINE. This model predicted production by the larger phytoplankton and the picoplankton and effects on air-sea CO(2) fluxes in the Pacific Ocean. However, there were no size-fractionated rates available for verification. Here we report the first size-fractionated new and regenerated production rates (obtained with (15)N - NO(3) and (15)N - NH(4) incubations) for the EUZ with the objective of validating the conceptual basis and functioning of the CoSINE model. Specifically, the larger phytoplankton ( with cell diameters > 5 mu m) had greater rates of new production and higher f-ratios (i.e., the proportion of NO(3) to the sum of NO(3) and NH(4) uptake) than the picoplankton that had high rates of NH(4) uptake and low f-ratios. The way that the larger primary producers are regulated in the EUZ is discussed using a continuous chemostat approach. This combines control of Si(OH)(4) production by supply rate (bottom-up) and control of growth rate ( or dilution) by grazing ( top-down control).

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Dugdale RC, Wilkerson FP, Chai F, Feely R. Size-Fractionated Nitrogen Uptake Measurements in the Equatorial Pacific and Confirmation of the Low Si-High-Nitrate Low-Chlorophyll Condition. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 2007;21(2): GB2005.

Publisher Statement

Copyright 2007 American Geophysical Union.

DOI

10.1029/2006GB002722

Version

publisher's version of the published document

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