Temporal and spatial variability in phytoplankton ammonium and nitrate uptake in the Delaware Estuary

Abstract

Abstract

Phytoplankton NH4+ and NO3− uptake was examined along the longitudinal salinity gradient of the Delaware Estuary over several seasonal cycles using 15N-tracer techniques. Saturated nitrogen uptake rates increased directly with water temperature and reached a maximum of 380 nmol Nl−1h−1 during summer. This temperature dependence was related primarily to changes in the rate of maximum chlorophyll specific uptake, which varied exponentially between 2 and 70 nmol N [μg Chl h]−1 over a temperature range of 2–28°C. Despite these high uptake rates, balanced growth (C:N⋍7:1) could be maintained over the diel light cycle only by highly efficient nitrogen uptake at low light intensities and dark uptake below the photic zone and at night (dark uptake=25% maximum uptake). Ammonium fulfilled 82% of the annual phytoplankton nitrogen demand in the estuary despite dominance of NO3− in the ambient dissolved inorganic nitrogen pool. The predominance of NH4+ uptake occurred because of the general suppression of NO3− assimilation at NH4+ concentrations in excess of 2 μm. This suppression, however, was not as universal as has been reported for other systems, and it is suggested that the extremely high NO3− concentrations found in the estuary contribute to this pattern. Nitrate was a significant source of nitrogen only during periods of high phytoplankton production in summer, and when NH4+ concentrations were low towards the end of the spring bloom.

Department

School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering

Publication Date

6-1987

Publisher

Elsevier

Journal Title

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/0272-7714(87)90156-9

Document Type

Article

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS