Uptake of nitrogenous nutrients by phytoplankton in a barrier Island estuary: Great South Bay,New York |
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Authors: | Zena G. Kaufman John S. Lively Edward J. Carpenter |
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Affiliation: | Marine Sciences Research Center, State University of New York, Stony Brook, 11794, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | The uptake of urea, nitrate and ammonium by phytoplankton was measured using 15N isotopes over a one-year period in Great South Bay, a shallow coastal lagoon. The bay is a unique environment for the study of nutrient uptake since ambient concentrations of and urea remain relatively high through the year, and phytoplankton are probably never nutrient limited. Urea nitrogen averaged 52% of the total assimilated, while ammonium represented 33% and nitrate 13%. High rates of ammonium uptake occurred only at low urea concentrations (ca< 1-μg-atom urea l?1). Over the sampling period urea was present in relatively high concentrations, averaging 5·35 μg-atom N l?1, while means for ammonium and nitrate averaged 1·94 and 0·65 μg-atom N l?1, respectively. Total N uptake measured with 15N averaged about 3·3 times the calculated (from elemental ratios and 14C productivity measurements) N needs of the phytoplankton population. Highest nitrogen uptake occurred in the summer and coincided with the primary production maximum. |
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Keywords: | nitrogen phytoplankton coastal lagoon |
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