Atmospherically-promoted photosynthetic activity in a well-mixed ecosystem: Significance of wet deposition events of nitrogen compounds

Type Article
Date 2006-09
Language English
Author(s) Boulart C1, Flament Pierre2, Gentilhomme V1, Deboudt K2, Migon C3, Lizon F1, Schapira M1, Lefebvre AlainORCID4
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Littoral Cote Opale, CNRS, FRE 2816, ELICO,Maison Rech Environm Nat, F-62930 Wimereux, France.
2 : Univ Lille 1, CNRS, Stn Marine Wimereux, FRE 2816,ELICO, F-62930 Wimereux, France.
3 : Univ Paris 06, CNRS, INSU, Lab Oceanog Villefranche, F-06238 Villefranche Sur Mer, France.
4 : IFREMER, Lab Environm Littoral & Ressources Aquacoles, F-62321 Boulogne, France.
Source Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science (0272-7714) (Elsevier), 2006-09 , Vol. 69 , N. 3-4 , P. 449-458
DOI 10.1016/j.ecss.2006.04.021
WOS© Times Cited 14
Keyword(s) Strait of Dover, Nutrient cycles, River plumes, Atmospheric deposition, Coastal zone, Primary production
Abstract Wet atmospheric deposition of dissolved N, P and Si species is studied in well-mixed coastal ecosystem to evaluate its potential to stimulate photosynthetic activities in nutrient-depleted conditions. Our results show that, during spring, seawater is greatly depleted in major nutrients: Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN), Dissolved Inorganic Phosphorus (DIP) and Silicic acid (Si), in parallel with an increase of phytoplanktonic biomass. In spring (March-May) and summer (June-September), wet atmospheric deposition is the predominant source (> 60%, relative to riverine contribution) for nitrates and ammonium inputs to this N-limited coastal ecosystem. During winter (October-February), riverine inputs of DIN predominate (> 80%) and are annually the most important source of DIP (> 90%). This situation allows us to calculate the possibility for a significant contribution to primary production in May 2003, from atmospheric deposition (total input for DIN approximate to 300 kg km(-2) month(-1)). Based on usual Redfield ratios and assuming that all of the atmospheric-derived N (AD-N) in rainwater is bioavailable for phytoplankton growth, we can estimate new production due to AD-N of 950 mg C m(-2) month(-1), during this period of depletion in the water column. During the same episode (May 2003), photosynthetic activity rate. considered as gross primary production, was estimated to approximately 30300 mg C m(-2) month(-1). Calculation indicates that new photosynthetic activity due to wet atmospheric inputs of nitrogen could be up to 3%. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Boulart C, Flament Pierre, Gentilhomme V, Deboudt K, Migon C, Lizon F, Schapira M, Lefebvre Alain (2006). Atmospherically-promoted photosynthetic activity in a well-mixed ecosystem: Significance of wet deposition events of nitrogen compounds. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 69(3-4), 449-458. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2006.04.021 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/2007/