New insights into the distributions of nitrogen fixation and diazotrophs revealed by high-resolution sensing and sampling methods.

ABSTRACT: Nitrogen availability limits marine productivity across large ocean regions. Diazotrophs can supply new nitrogen to the marine environment via nitrogen (N₂) fixation, relieving nitrogen limitation. The distributions of diazotrophs and N₂ fixation have been hypothesized to be generally controlled by temperature, phosphorus, and iron availability in the global ocean. However, even in the North Atlantic where most research on diazotrophs and N₂ fixation has taken place, environmental controls remain contentious. Here we measure diazotroph composition, abundance, and activity at high resolution using newly developed underway sampling and sensing techniques. We capture a diazotrophic community shift from Trichodesmium to UCYN-A between the oligotrophic, warm (25

SUBMITTER: Tang W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7490393 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature