Open AccessPhosphorus deficiency in the Atlantic: An emerging paradigm in oceanography
Author(s) -
Ammerman James W.,
Hood Raleigh R.,
Case Darin A.,
Cotner James B.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2003eo180001
Subject(s) - ocean gyre , oceanography , phytoplankton , iron fertilization , phosphorus , nutrient , environmental science , limiting , subtropics , chemical oceanography , geology , ecology , biology , chemistry , mechanical engineering , microorganism , paleontology , organic chemistry , microbial biodegradation , bacteria , engineering
Nitrogen, iron, and silica are widely considered to be the most important nutrients that limit phytoplankton growth in the world's oceans. Though clearly important in lakes, the role of phosphorus has been largely ignored in the ocean. In part, this is because of early studies that suggested there was excess phosphate (P) relative to the needs of the phytoplankton in open ocean waters. Thanks to recent studies at the Hawaiian Ocean Time (HOT) series station (Station ALOHA) in the North Pacific subtropical gyre [ Karl et al ., 2001, and references therein], there is a growing appreciation of the potential importance of phosphorus as a limiting nutrient in subtropical Pacific waters.