Abstract Photolysis of dissolved organic matter using high‐intensity, ultraviolet (UV) light has been utilized since the 1960s as a method for the oxidation and subsequent quantification of dissolved organic nitrogen and phosphorus (DON and DOP) in both freshwater and marine water. However, conventional UV systems yielded variable and sometimes unreliable results; consequently, the method fell out of favor throughout much of the oceanographic community. Researchers turned to other oxidation methods such as persulfate oxidation or high‐temperature combustion, even though they have difficulty when DON and DOP are <10% of the total dissolved N and P (for example, in the deep sea and in surface waters at high latitudes). Here, we revive the UV oxidation method using modernized light‐generating equipment and high‐precision colorimetric analysis of the oxidation products, resulting in the most well‐constrained full ocean depth profiles of DON and DOP that are available to date. At Station ALOHA, in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, in the depth range of 900–4800 m, we find that DON is 2.2 ± 0.2μmol L−1(n = 49), DOP is 0.049 ± 0.004μmol L−1(n = 19), and the DOC : DON : DOP molar stochiometric relationship is 759 : 45 : 1. Preliminary estimates for the global ocean inventories of refractory DON and DOP are placed at 43.6 Pg N and 2.14 Pg P.
more »
« less
A simple method for the quantification of amidic bioavailable dissolved organic nitrogen in seawater
Abstract A targeted method for the quantification of bioavailable amide N found in marine DON (bDON) is presented. The method utilizes mild acid hydrolysis to convert amide N found in proteins andN‐acetyl amino polysaccharides to primary amine containing products that are measured using a highly sensitive (nanomolar range and precision) fluorometric technique with addition ofO‐phthaldialdehyde. We find amidic bDON concentrations ranging from 0.08 to 1.82 μM N within waters from the upper 300 m in the southern California Current, Southern California Bight, and subtropical North Pacific representing 15–33% of bulk DON concentrations. Bioassay experiments from the North Pacific revealed consumption of ~20% of the in situ bDON within 5 days. The method represents a simple and rapid tool for the quantification of bioavailable DON concentrations in seawater with improved analytical precision over traditional estimates of bulk DON concentrations.
more »
« less
- PAR ID:
- 10518143
- Publisher / Repository:
- ASLO
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Limnology and Oceanography: Methods
- ISSN:
- 1541-5856
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is the dominant form of fixed nitrogen in most low and middle latitude ocean surface waters. Here, we report measurements of DON isotopic composition (δ15N) from the west South China Sea (SCS), with the goal of providing new insight into DON cycling. The concentration of DON in the surface ocean is correlated (r = 0.70,p < 0.0001) with chlorophyllaconcentration, indicating DON production in these surface waters. The concentration and δ15N of DON fall in a relatively narrow range in the surface ocean (4.6 ± 0.1 μM and 4.3 ± 0.2‰ vs. air, respectively; ±SD), similar to other ocean regions. The mean DON δ15N above 50 m (4.5 ± 0.3‰) is similar to the δ15N of nitrate in the “shallow subsurface” (i.e., immediately below the euphotic zone; 4.6 ± 0.2‰) but is higher than the δ15N of suspended particles in the surface ocean (~2.3‰). This set of isotopic relationships has been observed previously (e.g., in the oligotrophic North Atlantic and North Pacific) and can be explained by the cycling of N between particulate organic nitrogen (PON), DON, and ammonium, in which an isotope effect associated with DON degradation preferentially concentrates15N in DON. Consistent with this view, a negative correlation (r = 0.70) between the concentration and the δ15N of DON is observed in the upper 75 m, suggesting an isotope effect of ~4.9 ± 0.4‰ for DON degradation. Comparing the DON δ15N data from the SCS with other regions, we find that the δ15N difference between euphotic zone DON and shallow subsurface nitrate δ15N (Δδ15N(DON‐NO3)) rises from ocean regions of inferred net DON production to regions of net DON consumption, with the SCS representing an intermediate case.more » « less
-
Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is the dominant form of bioavailable nitrogen in the euphotic zone of subtropical gyres, where nitrate (NO3-) concentrations are low. However, the spatial distribution of DON production and consumption in the surface ocean remains poorly resolved due to the relatively narrow range in euphotic zone DON concentrations. Recently, the stable isotopic composition (d15N) of DON has been used to identify DON production and consumption in the surface ocean, making isotopic measurements a more sensitive indicator of DON cycling than concentration measurements alone. Here we report DON concentration and d15N measurements in the upper ~300 m from a zonal transect along ~30˚S in the South Pacific (GO-SHIP P06-2017), including samples in the Western South Pacific (154˚E-170˚W), in the oligotrophic South Pacific Subtropical Gyre (110˚W -170˚W), and overlying the Oxygen Deficient Zone (ODZ) in the east (78˚W-110˚W). We observed small variations in surface DON concentrations. Surface DON in Western South Pacific, oligotrophic South Pacific Subtropical Gyre and above the ODZ are 4.6±1.0 µM, 4.3±0.7 µM, and 4.8±0.5 µM, respectively. d15N of DON in the euphotic zone is lower in the west and higher in the east, consistent with distributions of nitrogen fixation and denitrification, respectively, in the South Pacific. Similar decreasing trend in DON d15N in the euphotic zone and subsurface nitrate d15N was observed from the east to the west in the South Pacific, suggesting the d15N in subsurface nitrate could be imprinted in the DON d15N in the euphotic zone. Low surface ocean DON d15N in the Western South Pacific (2.4±1.8 ‰) and oligotrophic South Pacific Subtropical Gyre (2.6±1.6 ‰) compared with surface ocean DON d15N above ODZ (5.4±2.3 ‰) infer significant low-d15N nitrogen is added to the western South Pacific and oligotrophic South Pacific Subtropical Gyre, potentially from N2 fixation. Additionally, high DON d15N at ~180˚ was consistent with entrainment of subsurface NO3- into surface waters due to shallow bathymetry. Together, these observations suggest that DON production and consumption processes operate on timescales adequately fast to produce isotopic gradients across the South Pacific. Comparisons of surface ocean DON d15N with subsurface nitrate d15N constrain the locations and timescales of these processes.more » « less
-
Abstract Atmospheric deposition of aerosols transported from the continents is an important source of nutrient and pollutant trace elements (TEs) to the surface ocean. During the U.S. GEOTRACES GP15 Pacific Meridional Transect between Alaska and Tahiti (September–November 2018), aerosol samples were collected over the North Pacific and equatorial Pacific and analyzed for a suite of TEs, including Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb. Sampling coincided with the annual minimum in dust transport from Asia, providing an opportunity to quantify aerosol TE concentrations and deposition during the low dust season. Nevertheless, peak concentrations of “crustal” TEs measured at ∼40–50°N (∼145 pmol/m3Fe) were associated with transport from northern Asia, with lower concentrations (36 ± 14 pmol/m3Fe) over the equatorial Pacific. Relative to crustal abundances, equatorial Pacific aerosols typically had higher TE enrichment factors than North Pacific aerosols. In contrast, aerosol V was more enriched over the North Pacific, presumably due to greater supply to this region from oil combustion products. Bulk deposition velocity (Vbulk) was calculated along the transect using the surface ocean decay inventory of the naturally occurring radionuclide,7Be, and aerosol7Be activity. Deposition velocities were significantly higher (4,570 ± 1,146 m/d) within the Intertropical Convergence Zone than elsewhere (1,764 ± 261 m/d) due to aerosol scavenging by intense rainfall. Daily deposition fluxes to the central Pacific during the low dust season were calculated using Vbulkand aerosol TE concentration data, with Fe fluxes ranging from 19 to 258 nmol/m2/d.more » « less
-
Understanding waterline variability at seasonal to interannual timescales is crucial for predicting coastal responses to climate forcing. However, relationships between large-scale climate variability and coastal morphodynamics remain underexplored beyond intensively monitored sites. This study leverages a newly developed 25-year (1997–2022) satellite-derived waterline dataset along the North American West Coast. Our results reveal distinct latitudinal patterns in seasonal waterline change, with excursions exceeding 25 m in the Pacific Northwest, decreasing to less than 10 m in Southern California and farther south. Waterline fluctuations strongly follow wave power in the Pacific Northwest (R = −0.78), northern California (R = −0.75), and Baja California (R = −0.62), while Baja California Sur aligns more with sea-level variations (R = −0.42). Interannually, waterline change exhibits latitudinal dependence: south of southern California, variability is low, with major erosion confined to strong El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, while northern regions show mixed responses. ENSO-driven storm track shifts modulate winter wave climate, resulting in enhanced (attenuated) erosion from southern California to Baja California Sur during El Niño (La Niña). However, further north, ENSO impacts are less consistent, reflecting a complex interplay of storm track displacement and intensification. These findings highlight the spatial complexity of ENSO-driven morphodynamics and provide a framework for assessing climate-induced coastal vulnerability.more » « less
An official website of the United States government

