Influence of marine denitrification on atmospheric N 2 O variability during the Holocene

Oceanic denitrification centers are thought to be important marine sources for atmospheric N 2 O. To consider Holocene variability in this source, we reconstruct the Holocene paleo‐denitrification history of the Peru margin, a major marine denitrification center, using high‐resolution sedimentary δ 15 N data. This record along with a contemporaneous one from the western Arabian Sea (Altabet et al., 2002) shows similarities with the recently available high‐resolution atmospheric N 2 O record (Flückiger et al., 2002). While the role of terrestrial processes in the observed N 2 O changes remains uncertain, these results suggest that variability in marine denitrification in major upwelling centers such as the Peru margin and the Arabian Sea contributed significantly to atmospheric N 2 O evolution during the Holocene.