Abstract:

Uncertainty in the global patterns of marine nitrogen fixation limits our understanding of the response of the ocean’s nitrogen and carbon cycles to environmental change. The geographical distribution and ecological controls on nitrogen fixation are difficult to constrain with limited in-situ measurements. Here we present convergent estimates of nitrogen fixation from an inverse biogeochemical and a prognostic ocean model. Our results demonstrate strong spatial variability in the nitrogen to phosphorus ratio of exported organic matter that greatly increases the global nitrogen-fixation rate. We find that new nitrogen supports up to 50% of export in subtropical gyres, that nitrogen fixation and denitrification are spatially decoupled and that current-era nitrogen sources and sinks largely balance on multidecadal timescales. Moreover, we propose a role for top-down grazing control in shaping the global patterns of nitrogen fixation. Our findings suggest higher than expected ocean carbon export and weaker stabilizing nitrogen-cycle feedbacks than previously thought.

Francois Primeau is a Professor of Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvine. His research is at the interface between physical oceanography and biogeochemistry where he develops computational methods to make better inferences from data and models about the physical and biogeochemical state of the ocean. 

Speaker

Francois Primeau

Research Area
Affiliation

University of California, Irvine

Date

Mon, 18/02/2019 - 4:00pm

Venue

RC-4082, The Red Centre, UNSW