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Nature 400, 511-512 (5 August 1999) | doi:10.1038/22892

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Oceanography: An ultimate limiting nutrient

J. R. Toggweiler1

Several elements in the ocean — most notably nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and silicate — are essential for the growth of phytoplankton. Like fertilizers applied to the land, the supply of N, P, Fe and Si in seawater upwelling from below, or in airborne dust deposition from above, determines the rate of production of new organic matter at the surface.

  1. J. R. Toggweiler is in NOAAs Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton University, PO Box 308, Princeton, New Jersey 08542, USA.
    e-mail: Email: jrt@gfdl.gov