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Uptake of inorganic carbon and nitrate by marine plankton and the Redfield Ratio
Author(s) -
Banse K.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
global biogeochemical cycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.512
H-Index - 187
eISSN - 1944-9224
pISSN - 0886-6236
DOI - 10.1029/93gb02865
Subject(s) - redfield ratio , nitrate , plankton , dissolved organic carbon , environmental chemistry , carbon fibers , particulates , chemistry , organic matter , phytoplankton , nutrient , oceanography , geology , materials science , organic chemistry , composite number , composite material
Published experiments are reevaluated regarding the uptake ratio of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and nitrate in two plankton communities and the resulting elemental ratio of particulate organic matter (POM). The ratios are lower than Redfield values of 6.6 or 7.6 (by atoms); the uptake ratios of dissolved moieties are not measures for the composition of the newly formed POM; and uptake of DIC and nitrate may be entirely uncoupled. The use of closed systems of several 100 L to 1 m −3 content is suggested for studies of the underlying mechanisms.