Wp. Bissett et al., Carbon cycling in the upper waters of the Sargasso Sea: I. Numerical simulation of differential carbon and nitrogen fluxes, DEEP-SEA I, 46(2), 1999, pp. 205-269
Citations number
184
Categorie Soggetti
Aquatic Sciences","Earth Sciences
Journal title
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
A complex ecosystem model is developed for the area around Bermuda in the S
argasso Sea. The model is physically driven by seasonal changes in spectral
light, temperature, and water column mixing. Autotrophic growth is represe
nted by four functional groups of phytoplankton. The groups have light and
nutrient utilization characteristics that reflect those of Prochlol ococcus
, Synechococcus and Chromophycota species. The model includes differential
carbon and nitrogen cycling, nitrification, and nitrogen fixation to effect
realistic allochthonous and autochthonous nutrient sources to the euphotic
zone. This simulation yields realistic seasonal and vertical (I) successio
n of phytoplankton functional groups' biomass, productivity, and pigments;
(2) profiles of dissolved inorganic carbon, nitrate, and ammonium; and (3)
fluxes of carbon dioxide at the air-sea botmdary and particulate carbon and
nitrogen settling losses, when compared to the JGOFS BATS site.
The addition of local nitrification, differential carbon and nitrogen remin
eralization, and nitrogen fixation removes the need for an unrealistically
high upward vertical flux of nitrate to mimic the productivity and chloroph
yll a stocks. The explicit numerical description of carbon and nitrogen uti
lization by heterotrophic bacteria simulated a population that was not nitr
ogen-limited in these waters. Instead, the heterotrophic bacteria community
was limited by energy resources in the form of DOC, and was a nitrogen sou
rce for the autotrophic community through the excretion of excess NH4 from
the labile DOM energy source. Numerical descriptions of ecosystems based so
lely on nitrogen dynamics, or fixed carbon to nitrogen ratios, may yield an
inaccurate prediction of carbon and nitrogen fluxes, and fail to properly
predict the carbon cycle. O 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
A complex ecosystem model is developed for the area around Bermuda in the S
argasso Sea. The model is physically driven by seasonal changes in spectral
light, temperature, and water column mixing. Autotrophic growth is represe
nted by four functional groups of phytoplankton. The groups have light and
nutrient utilization characteristics that reflect those of Prochlorococcus,
Synechococcus and Chromophycota species. The model includes differential c
arbon and nitrogen cycling, nitrification, and nitrogen fixation to effect
realistic allochthonous and autochthonous nutrient sources to the euphotic
zone. This simulation yields realistic seasonal and vertical (1) succession
of phytoplankton functional groups' biomass, productivity, and pigments; (
2) profiles of dissolved inorganic carbon, nitrate, and ammonium; and (3) f
luxes of carbon dioxide at the air-sea boundary and particulate carbon and
nitrogen settling losses, when compared to the JGOFS BATS site. The additio
n of local nitrification, differential carbon and nitrogen remineralization
, and nitrogen fixation removes the need for an unrealistically high upward
vertical flux of nitrate to mimic the productivity and chlorophyll a stock
s. The explicit numerical description of carbon and nitrogen utilization by
heterotrophic bacteria simulated a population that was not nitrogen-limite
d in these waters. Instead, the heterotrophic bacteria community was limite
d by energy resources in the form of DOG, and was a nitrogen source for the
autotrophic community through the excretion of excess NH, from the labile
DOM energy source. Numerical descriptions of ecosystems based solely on nit
rogen dynamics, or fixed carbon to nitrogen ratios, may yield an inaccurate
prediction of carbon and nitrogen fluxes, and fail to properly predict the
carbon cycle. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.