Nutritive and photosynthetic ecology of subsurface chlorophyll maxima in Canadian Arctic waters

Assessments of carbon and nitrogen (N) assimilation in Canadian Arctic waters confirmed the large contribution of subsurface chlorophyll maxima (SCM) to total water-column production from spring to late fall. Although SCM communities showed acclimation to low irradiance and greater nitrate (NO&l...

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Main Authors: J. Martin, J. É. Tremblay, N. M. Price
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2012-12-01
Series:Biogeosciences
Online Access:http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/5353/2012/bg-9-5353-2012.pdf
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author J. Martin
J. É. Tremblay
N. M. Price
author_facet J. Martin
J. É. Tremblay
N. M. Price
author_sort J. Martin
collection DOAJ
description Assessments of carbon and nitrogen (N) assimilation in Canadian Arctic waters confirmed the large contribution of subsurface chlorophyll maxima (SCM) to total water-column production from spring to late fall. Although SCM communities showed acclimation to low irradiance and greater nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>) availability, their productivity was generally constrained by light and temperature. During spring–early summer, most of the primary production at the SCM was sustained by NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, with an average <i>f</i>-ratio (i.e., relative contribution of NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> uptake to total N uptake) of 0.74 ± 0.26. The seasonal decrease in NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> availability and irradiance, coupled to the build up of ammonium (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>), favoured a transition toward a predominantly regenerative system (<i>f</i>-ratio = 0.37 ± 0.20) during late summer and fall. Results emphasize the need to adequately consider SCM when estimating primary production and to revisit ecosystem model parameters in highly stratified Arctic waters.
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spelling doaj.art-728eb0f4ee5844be9c86dc7a8c0d08a22022-12-21T23:31:52ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892012-12-019125353537110.5194/bg-9-5353-2012Nutritive and photosynthetic ecology of subsurface chlorophyll maxima in Canadian Arctic watersJ. MartinJ. É. TremblayN. M. PriceAssessments of carbon and nitrogen (N) assimilation in Canadian Arctic waters confirmed the large contribution of subsurface chlorophyll maxima (SCM) to total water-column production from spring to late fall. Although SCM communities showed acclimation to low irradiance and greater nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>) availability, their productivity was generally constrained by light and temperature. During spring–early summer, most of the primary production at the SCM was sustained by NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, with an average <i>f</i>-ratio (i.e., relative contribution of NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> uptake to total N uptake) of 0.74 ± 0.26. The seasonal decrease in NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> availability and irradiance, coupled to the build up of ammonium (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>), favoured a transition toward a predominantly regenerative system (<i>f</i>-ratio = 0.37 ± 0.20) during late summer and fall. Results emphasize the need to adequately consider SCM when estimating primary production and to revisit ecosystem model parameters in highly stratified Arctic waters.http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/5353/2012/bg-9-5353-2012.pdf
spellingShingle J. Martin
J. É. Tremblay
N. M. Price
Nutritive and photosynthetic ecology of subsurface chlorophyll maxima in Canadian Arctic waters
Biogeosciences
title Nutritive and photosynthetic ecology of subsurface chlorophyll maxima in Canadian Arctic waters
title_full Nutritive and photosynthetic ecology of subsurface chlorophyll maxima in Canadian Arctic waters
title_fullStr Nutritive and photosynthetic ecology of subsurface chlorophyll maxima in Canadian Arctic waters
title_full_unstemmed Nutritive and photosynthetic ecology of subsurface chlorophyll maxima in Canadian Arctic waters
title_short Nutritive and photosynthetic ecology of subsurface chlorophyll maxima in Canadian Arctic waters
title_sort nutritive and photosynthetic ecology of subsurface chlorophyll maxima in canadian arctic waters
url http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/5353/2012/bg-9-5353-2012.pdf
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