Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotopic Signatures of Subsurface Nitrate Seaward of the Florida Keys Reef Tract

Authors

James J. Leichter, University of California at San Diego
Adina Paytan, Stanford University
Scott Wankel, Stanford University
Katharine Hanson, University of California at San Diego
Steven Miller, University of North Carolina - WilmingtonFollow
Mark A. Altabet, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2007

Publication Title

Limnology and Oceanography

ISSN

0024-3590

Volume

52

Issue/No.

3

First Page

1258

Last Page

1267

Abstract

Hydrographic and nutrient structure and the nitrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions (d15N and d18O) of the nitrate pool seaward of the Florida Keys reef tract were measured in Summer 2003. Nitrate and soluble reactive phosphate concentrations were tightly associated with depth and temperature and were close to 0 in surface waters, increased to 2–10 µmol L⁻¹and 0.1–1.0 µmol L⁻¹, respectively, at intermediate depths associated with the thermocline and 15–25 µmol L⁻¹ and 1.0–1.5 µmol L⁻¹, respectively, in deeper water. Ammonium concentrations were low (0–0.6 µmol L⁻¹) at all depths. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations ranged from 70–120 µmol L⁻¹ near the surface to 40–60 µmol L⁻¹ below the thermocline. Mean nitrate δ¹⁵N was 4.78% (±0.05) overall and varied from 4.24%(±0.07) within the chlorophyll maximum layer at 50–70 m depth to 5.26% (±0.05) below the thermocline at 150–242 m depth. Mean δ¹⁸O mean was 3.26% (±0.08) and varied from 4.89% (±0.14) within the chlorophyll maximum layer to 3.02% (±0.07) below the thermocline. These observations suggest an oceanic, deep-water nitrate source below the thermocline, a mix of sources from upwelling and N₂ fixation, and the effects of fractionation associated with uptake by primary producers within the thermocline. The water column nitrate isotopic data support the general hypothesis that primary producers on the Florida Keys reef tract directly utilize the transiently available subsurface nitrate pool.

Comments

©2007, by the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, Inc.

Additional Comments

NSF grant #s: OCE-0239449, OCE-9902450

NSUWorks Citation

James J. Leichter, Adina Paytan, Scott Wankel, Katharine Hanson, Steven Miller, and Mark A. Altabet. 2007. Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotopic Signatures of Subsurface Nitrate Seaward of the Florida Keys Reef Tract .Limnology and Oceanography , (3) : 1258 -1267. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/888.

DOI

10.4319/lo.2007.52.3.1258