Open AccessEnvironmental control of marine phytoplankton stoichiometry in the North Atlantic Ocean
Author(s) -
Boris Sauterey,
Ben A. Ward
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2114602118
Subject(s) - phytoplankton , plankton , oceanography , biological pump , marine biology , biomass (ecology) , biological oceanography , environmental science , sink (geography) , ecology , biology , nutrient , geology , geography , cartography
Significance As they grow, die, and sink into the ocean’s interior, oceanic phytoplankton drive the so-called biological carbon pump, one of the main biological processes regulating atmospheric carbon concentrations. The biological carbon pump is, therefore, key to climate regulation. Its efficiency is largely determined by the coupling of marine biology to ocean geochemistry through the C:N:P:Fe stoichiometry of phytoplankton biomass, yet what determines this stoichiometry remains poorly understood. Based on a model of plankton biology, we characterize control mechanisms of the C:N ratio of phytoplankton biomass in the North Atlantic, which explain extensive sets of apparently conflicting observations. These findings could improve the predictive ability of global ocean models regarding climate change and the role of marine biology in its mitigation/aggravation.