In:
Limnology and Oceanography, Wiley, Vol. 46, No. 3 ( 2001-05), p. 497-504
Abstract:
Blooms of the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum were initiated in closed‐system batch cultures with P‐deficient medium under two different initial concentrations of dissolved molecular CO 2 ([CO 2,aq ]: 20.6 and 4.5 µmol L −1 ). Algal C: N: P ratios strongly increased with decreasing P concentration. In the exponential growth phase, C: N ratios were 1.3 mol mol −1 higher in the low relative to the high [CO 2,aq ] treatment. There was no [CO 2,aq ] effect on C: N: P ratios during P‐limited growth. Carbon isotope fractionation (Âɛp ) was 2–3‰ higher in the high [CO 2,aq ] treatment. With growth rate decreasing due to P limitation, e p increased in both [CO 2,aq ] treatments by 2ߝ3‰ despite decreasing [CO 2,aq ]. Under these conditions the effect of decreasing growth rate on isotope fractionation strongly dominated over that of declining CO 2 availability. When extrapolated to the natural environment, these results imply that systematic changes in algal growth, as occurring during the course of phytoplankton blooms, may affect algal isotope fractionation. These results severely complicate the interpretation of carbon isotope measurements in suspended and sedimentary organic matter.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0024-3590
,
1939-5590
DOI:
10.4319/lo.2001.46.3.0497
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2001
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2033191-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
412737-7
SSG:
12
SSG:
14
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