biostudies-literatureUnknown6(1)von Friesen LWWith climate change-induced sea ice decline in the Arctic Ocean, nitrogen is expected to become an increasingly important determinant of primary productivity. Nitrogen fixation is the conversion of molecular nitrogen to bioavailable ammonium by microorganisms called diazotrophs. Here, we report nitrogen fixation rates, diazotroph composition, and expression under different stages of declining sea ice in the Central Arctic Ocean (multiyear ice, five stations) and the Eurasian Arctic (marginal ice zone, seven stations). Nitrogen fixation in the Central Arctic Ocean was positively correlated with primary production, ranging from 0.4 ± 0.1 to 2.5 ± 0.87 nmol N L^-1 d^-1. Along two transects across the marginal ice zone, nitrogen fixation varied between days and ice regime fCommunications earth & environment811https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12537486biostudies-literatureNitrogen fixation under declining Arctic sea ice.PMC12537486Laber CPRiemann LPeeken ISchuttler JBenavides MSundbom MFarnelid HTorres-Valdes SGrosso Ovon Friesen LWSnoeijs-Leijonmalm PBertilsson Svon Appen WJfalseNitrogen fixation under declining Arctic sea ice.With climate change-induced sea ice decline in the Arctic Ocean, nitrogen is expected to become an increasingly important determinant of primary productivity. Nitrogen fixation is the conversion of molecular nitrogen to bioavailable ammonium by microorganisms called diazotrophs. Here, we report nitrogen fixation rates, diazotroph composition, and expression under different stages of declining sea ice in the Central Arctic Ocean (multiyear ice, five stations) and the Eurasian Arctic (marginal ice zone, seven stations). Nitrogen fixation in the Central Arctic Ocean was positively correlated with primary production, ranging from 0.4 ± 0.1 to 2.5 ± 0.87 nmol N L^-1 d^-1. Along two transects across the marginal ice zone, nitrogen fixation varied between days and ice regime f2025-01-01T00:00:00Z20252026-06-04T15:24:00.738Z2026-05-10T03:12:32.094ZS-EPMC125374864112764710.1038/s43247-025-02782-4