Ecological dynamics in the subarctic Pacific, a possibly iron-limited ecosystem

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Limnology and Oceanography; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1991.36.8.1600· OSTI ID:7250658

Miller, C B; Wheeler, P A ^[1]; Frost, B W ^[2]; Landry, M R ^[3]; Welschmeyer, N ^[4]; Powell, T M ^[5]

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1. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis (United States)
2. Univ of Washington, Seattle (United States)
3. Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu (United States)
4. Moss Landing Marine Labs., CA (United States)
5. Univ. of California, Davis (United States)

It has been suggested that production in offshore waters of the subarctic Pacific is limited by availability of dissolved Fe. Although that is not yet adequately established, the functional consequences of the limitation (if it exists) can be characterized from the results of the SUbarctic Pacific Ecosystem Research (SUPER) program. Fe limitation, or something like it, establishes a phytoplankton community dominated by very small cells. These plants are not limited by Fe availability. Rather, their production is limited by their stock and available illumination. Stock is set by microzooplankton grazers with rapid population growth rates and, thus, rapid response to increases in phytoplankton abundance. Micrograzers provide efficient recycling of nitrogen as NH{sub 4}, and the ready availability of NH{sub 4} sharply limits the annual utilization of NO{sub 3}. Persistently high NO{sub 3} concentrations result. Other possibly Fe-limited, oceanic ecosystems with persistently high, near-surface nutrients require similar, detailed analysis of ecosystem function.

• OSTI ID: 7250658
• Journal Information: Limnology and Oceanography; (United States), Journal Name: Limnology and Oceanography; (United States) Vol. 36:8; ISSN LIOCA; ISSN 0024-3590
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
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