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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 5(2)

Macro and micro nutrient limitation of microbial productivity in oligotrophic subtropical Atlantic waters

Joanna L. Dixon
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth, Devon PL1 3DH, UK. Email: jod@pml.ac.uk

Environmental Chemistry 5(2) 135-142 https://doi.org/10.1071/EN07081
Submitted: 29 October 2007  Accepted: 14 March 2008   Published: 17 April 2008

Environmental context. The subtropical oceans comprise ~70% of the world’s ocean surface and profoundly affect global biogeochemistry and climate. They are characteristically low-nutrient regions, but, owing to their large extent and often rapid nutrient turnover, may contribute to greater than 30% of the total marine primary production. However, there remains long-standing uncertainty as to what individual or combination of resources, e.g. macro (N, P) and micro (trace metals) nutrients, limit or co-limit marine productivity and thus total carbon fixation in these spatially dominant gyre systems.

Abstract. The subtropical oceans are characteristically low-nutrient low-chlorophyll regions, but owing to their geographical dominance and rapid nutrient cycling may contribute >30% of the total marine primary production. The present study investigates the addition of P, Fe, Co and Zn on rates of primary production and heterotrophic bacterial production, through a combination of mesoscale in situ (P, and P + Fe) and in vitro (Co or Zn) bioassay incubation experiments.

Results from the bioassay incubation experiments suggest that primary production and chlorophyll a biomass are limited by N and P in this oligotrophic region. However, both were increased further after addition of trace metal micronutrients in the order Fe + Zn ≥ Fe + Co > Fe ≈ Co. In contrast, rates of heterotrophic bacterial production did not appear to be P, or significantly, P + Fe limited, although in situ rates did increase during the first 12 h of mesoscale P fertilisation (which were not mirrored in the mesoscale P + Fe addition). The addition of Co to unfertilised waters increased heterotrophic bacterial production and the numbers of heterotrophic bacteria, Prochlorococcus spp. and Synechococcus spp., suggesting Co limitation. Prochlorococcus spp. were the most abundant autotrophs. The highest increases in both heterotrophic and autotrophic carbon assimilation were shown after in vitro addition of either Co or Zn to mesoscale enriched P + Fe waters, suggesting multiple limitation of microbial growth rates in the subtropical oligotrophic north-east Atlantic.

Additional keywords: cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacterial production, mesoscale P and P + Fe fertilisation, primary production.


Acknowledgements

I wish to thank the entire Feep group including the Fe/P/SF6 release and tracking teams, the crew and officers of RV Poseidon and RRS Charles Darwin, Dr I. Joint, Professor N. J. P. Owens, Dr P. D. Nightingale and Dr A. P. Rees. In addition, I would like to thank E. M. S. Woodward and J. Stephens for the nutrient data, G. A. Tarran for the flow cytometry data, D. Clark for the ammonium data, E. Fileman and V. Collins for the microzooplankton biomass data, S. Kimmance for the herbivory data and S. Ussher for the dissolved Fe data. The present work was funded by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory core research program 2001–2006.


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