Journal
GEOBIOLOGY
Volume 7, Issue 2, Pages 124-139Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4669.2008.00182.x
Keywords
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Funding
- Agouron Foundation
- NASA
- IMCS
- NSF [DEB-0217533, DEB-9632853]
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The ratio of dissolved fixed inorganic nitrogen to soluble inorganic phosphate (N:P) in the ocean interior is relatively constant, averaging similar to 16 : 1 by atoms. In contrast, the ratio of these two elements spans more than six orders of magnitude in lakes and other aquatic environments. To understand the factors influencing N:P ratios in aquatic environments, we analyzed 111 observational datasets derived from 35 water bodies, ranging from small lakes to ocean basins. Our results reveal that N:P ratios are highly correlated with the concentration of dissolved O-2 below similar to 100 mu mol L-1. At higher concentrations of O-2, N:P ratios are highly variable and not correlated with O-2; however, the coefficient of variation in N:P ratios is strongly related to the size of the water body. Hence, classical Redfield ratios observed in the ocean are anomalous; this specific elemental stoichiometry emerges not only as a consequence of the elemental ratio of the sinking flux of organic matter, but also as a result of the size of the basins and their ventilation. We propose that the link between N:P ratios, basin size and oxygen levels, along with the previously determined relationship between sedimentary delta N-15 and oxygen, can be used to infer historical N:P ratios for any water body.
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