Unicellular cyanobacterial distributions broaden the ocean N2 fixation domain
Moisander, P.H.; Beinart, R.A.; Hewson, I.; White, A.E.; Johnson, K.S.; Carlson, C.A.; Montoya, J.P.; Zehr, J.P. (2010). Unicellular cyanobacterial distributions broaden the ocean N2 fixation domain. Science (Wash.) 327(5962): 1512-1514. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1185468
In: Science (Washington). American Association for the Advancement of Science: New York, N.Y. ISSN 0036-8075; e-ISSN 1095-9203, more
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| Authors | | Top |
- Moisander, P.H.
- Beinart, R.A.
- Hewson, I.
- White, A.E.
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- Johnson, K.S.
- Carlson, C.A.
- Montoya, J.P.
- Zehr, J.P.
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| Abstract |
Nitrogen (N-2)-fixing microorganisms (diazotrophs) are an important source of biologically available fixed N in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and control the productivity of oligotrophic ocean ecosystems. We found that two major groups of unicellular N-2-fixing cyanobacteria (UCYN) have distinct spatial distributions that differ from those of Trichodesmium, the N-2-fixing cyanobacterium previously considered to be the most important contributor to open-ocean N-2 fixation. The distributions and activity of the two UCYN groups were separated as a function of depth, temperature, and water column density structure along an 8000-kilometer transect in the South Pacific Ocean. UCYN group A can be found at high abundances at substantially higher latitudes and deeper in subsurface ocean waters than Trichodesmium. These findings have implications for the geographic extent and magnitude of basin-scale oceanic N-2 fixation rates. |
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