290 likes | 427 Views
Nitrate Dynamics at ALOHA and K2. Karen Casciotti Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry. VERTIGO Experiments. ALOHA 2004 Nitrate isotopic profiles Coupled d 15 N and d 18 O analysis Rates of microbial activity Nitrification Rates
E N D
Nitrate Dynamics at ALOHA and K2 Karen Casciotti Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry
VERTIGO Experiments ALOHA 2004 • Nitrate isotopic profiles • Coupled d15N and d18O analysis • Rates of microbial activity • Nitrification Rates • Whole water samples and MULVFS particles • Microbial community analysis: free-living vs. particle attached • Nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria • Suspended particles (MULVFS) • Sinking particles (CLAP traps Hg vs. Formalin preservation) • Hand-picked squiggles, tufts, and puffs K2 2005 • Nitrate isotopic profiles • Coupled d15N and d18O analysis • Microbial community analysis: Nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria • Free-living vs. particle attached
What we can learn from NO3- isotopes? • Supply of N to the surface: NO3-, N2? • N export and remineralization • N cycling/turnover Nitrogen fixation N Norg Assimilation N NH4+ O N NO3- Denitrification Nitrification O O
Subarctic Front Map of Surface Nitrate
Comparison of Basic Chemical and Physical Parameters T O2 S NO3- Si ALOHA = Blue K2 = Red
Nitrate Isotopic Profiles • 10 profiles from ALOHA • 6 profiles from K2 • Analyzed for d15N and d18O using “denitrifier method” • Allows isotopic analysis of previously inaccessible pools of NO3-
The denitrifier method Pseudomonas aureofaciens Inject NO3- or NO2- sample or Pseudomonas chlororaphis Denitrification takes place NO3- NO2- NO N2O N2 Analyze N2O isotopes N2O (g) Sigman et al., 2001. Analytical Chemistry: 15N-NO3- Casciotti et al., 2002. Analytical Chemistry: 18O-NO3-
d15N and d18O vs. density Thorium excess
d15N-NO3- at K2 EZD MLD PN T [NO3-] 15NNO3
Fluxes of N at Station K2 NO3- NH4+ Export Remineralization flux NO3- PN Flux, d15N 150 m trap Remineralization flux PN Flux, d15N 300 m trap Remineralization flux PN Flux, d15N 500 m trap
d15N vs. d18O Close-up, station 73 All data
N and O isotope dynamics in nitrate Assimilation d18O-NO3- Initial NO3- d15N-NO3-
N and O isotope dynamics in nitrate Assimilation d18O-NO3- Partially consumed NO3- Produced PN d15N-NO3-
N and O isotope dynamics in nitrate Assimilation d18O-NO3- Partially consumed NO3- Produced PN d15N-NO3-
d15N vs. d18O Close-up, station 73 All data
Fluxes of N at Station ALOHA N2 NO3- NH4+ Export Remineralization flux PN Flux, d15N 150 m trap Remineralization flux PN Flux, d15N 300 m trap Remineralization flux PN Flux, d15N 500 m trap
N and O isotope dynamics in nitrate Fully consumed NO3- Assimilation d18O-NO3- Produced PN d15N-NO3-
N and O isotope dynamics in nitrate Fully consumed NO3- Assimilation d18O-NO3- N2 fixation PN d15N-NO3-
d15N and d18O-NO3- at K2 EZD MLD PN Real data from K2 cast 24 15NNO3