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Ecological control of nitrite in the upper ocean

Author

Listed:
  • Emily J. Zakem

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    University of Southern California)

  • Alia Al-Haj

    (Boston University)

  • Matthew J. Church

    (University of Montana)

  • Gert L. Dijken

    (Stanford University)

  • Stephanie Dutkiewicz

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Sarah Q. Foster

    (Boston University)

  • Robinson W. Fulweiler

    (Boston University
    Boston University)

  • Matthew M. Mills

    (Stanford University)

  • Michael J. Follows

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Microorganisms oxidize organic nitrogen to nitrate in a series of steps. Nitrite, an intermediate product, accumulates at the base of the sunlit layer in the subtropical ocean, forming a primary nitrite maximum, but can accumulate throughout the sunlit layer at higher latitudes. We model nitrifying chemoautotrophs in a marine ecosystem and demonstrate that microbial community interactions can explain the nitrite distributions. Our theoretical framework proposes that nitrite can accumulate to a higher concentration than ammonium because of differences in underlying redox chemistry and cell size between ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizing chemoautotrophs. Using ocean circulation models, we demonstrate that nitrifying microorganisms are excluded in the sunlit layer when phytoplankton are nitrogen-limited, but thrive at depth when phytoplankton become light-limited, resulting in nitrite accumulation there. However, nitrifying microorganisms may coexist in the sunlit layer when phytoplankton are iron- or light-limited (often in higher latitudes). These results improve understanding of the controls on nitrification, and provide a framework for representing chemoautotrophs and their biogeochemical effects in ocean models.

Suggested Citation

  • Emily J. Zakem & Alia Al-Haj & Matthew J. Church & Gert L. Dijken & Stephanie Dutkiewicz & Sarah Q. Foster & Robinson W. Fulweiler & Matthew M. Mills & Michael J. Follows, 2018. "Ecological control of nitrite in the upper ocean," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-03553-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03553-w
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    Cited by:

    1. Xianhui S. Wan & Hua-Xia Sheng & Li Liu & Hui Shen & Weiyi Tang & Wenbin Zou & Min N. Xu & Zhenzhen Zheng & Ehui Tan & Mingming Chen & Yao Zhang & Bess B. Ward & Shuh-Ji Kao, 2023. "Particle-associated denitrification is the primary source of N2O in oxic coastal waters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Olga A Nev & Richard J Lindsay & Alys Jepson & Lisa Butt & Robert E Beardmore & Ivana Gudelj, 2021. "Predicting microbial growth dynamics in response to nutrient availability," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(3), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Trang T. H. Nguyen & Emily J. Zakem & Ali Ebrahimi & Julia Schwartzman & Tolga Caglar & Kapil Amarnath & Uria Alcolombri & François J. Peaudecerf & Terence Hwa & Roman Stocker & Otto X. Cordero & Naom, 2022. "Microbes contribute to setting the ocean carbon flux by altering the fate of sinking particulates," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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