Two chemically distinct pools of organic nitrogen accumulate in the ocean
Aluwihare, L.I.; Repeta, D.J.; Pantoja, S.; Johnson, C.G. (2005). Two chemically distinct pools of organic nitrogen accumulate in the ocean. Science (Wash.) 308(5724): 1007-1010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1108925
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 |
- Aluwihare, L.I.
- Repeta, D.J.
- Pantoja, S.
- Johnson, C.G.
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| Abstract |
The chemical dynamics of marine dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), a reservoir featuring surface accumulations even in areas where nitrogen limits productivity, have yet to be resolved. We exploited differences in the acid lability of amide bonds within high-molecular-weight (HMW) DON to show that vertical DON profiles result in part from the presence of two chemically distinct pools of amide. Half of HMWDON in surface waters is present as N-acetyl amino polysaccharides. In contrast, nearly all deep-sea HMWDON, and therefore, most HMWDON, is present in amides that resist both chemical hydrolysis and biological degradation. |
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