Abstract
The sediment composition of confined aquatic ecosystems with little terrigenous input reflects net ecosystem production. Here we present nutrient budgets for one such system, Shark Bay in Western Australia, which suggest that net ecosystem production is limited by the oceanographic delivery of P, while the system meets its N requirements by nitrogen fixation. We suggest that N versus P limitation of the net production of aquatic ecosystems reflects the degree of confinement of those systems.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Smith, S. V. & Atkinson, M. J. Limnol. Oceanogr. 28, 625–639 (1983).
Krom, M. D. & Berner, R. A. J. sedim. Petrol. 53, 660–663 (1983).
Hirota, J. & Szyper, J. P. Limnol. Oceanogr. 20, 896–900 (1975).
Broecker, W. S. & Takahashi, T. J. geophys. Res. 71, 1575–1602 (1966).
Capone, D. G. & Carpenter, E. J. Science 217, 1140–1142 (1982).
Redfield, A. C., Ketchum, B. H. & Richards, F. A. in The Sea Vol. 2 (ed. Hill, M. N.) (Wiley, New York, 1963).
Atkinson, M. J. & Smith, S. V. Limnol. Oceanogr. 28, 568–574 (1983).
Nixon, S. W. in Estuaries and Nutrients (eds Neilson, B. J. & Cronin, L. E.) 111–138 (Humana, Clifton, New Jersey, 1981).
Ryther, J. H. & Dunstan, W. M. Science 171, 1008–1013 (1971).
Wiebe, W. J., Johannes, R. E. & Webb, K. L. Science 188, 257–259 (1975).
Webb, K. L. et al. Limnol. Oceanogr. 20, 198–210 (1975).
Pilson, M. E. Q. & Betzer, S. B. Ecology 54, 581–588 (1973).
Smith, S. V. et al. Univ. Hawaii/ Univ. South Pacific Int. Seagrant Prog. Tech. Rep. (in the press).
Schindler, D. W. Science 195, 260–262 (1977).
Broecker, W. S. & Peng, T.-H. Tracers in the Sea 690 (Eldigio, Palisades, New York, 1982).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Smith, S., Atkinson, M. Phosphorus limitation of net production in a confined aquatic ecosystem . Nature 307, 626–627 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/307626a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/307626a0
This article is cited by
-
Global and seasonal variation of marine phosphonate metabolism
The ISME Journal (2022)
-
The distribution of chlorophyll a in the tropical eastern Indian Ocean in austral summer
Acta Oceanologica Sinica (2012)
-
Abundance and Chemical Speciation of Phosphorus in Sediments of the Mackenzie River Delta, the Chukchi Sea and the Bering Sea: Importance of Detrital Apatite
Aquatic Geochemistry (2010)
-
Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton in solar salt ponds in Shark Bay, Western Australia
Hydrobiologia (2009)
-
Cell-Specific Alkaline Phosphatase Expression by Phytoplankton from Winyah Bay, South Carolina, USA
Estuaries and Coasts (2009)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
