Description: This data is part of the BMBF project CUSCO (Coastal Upwelling Systems in a Changing Ocean). Here we report pigment concentrations and the phytoplankton community composition based on CHEMTAX analysis during a 35-day experiment, where we enclosed natural plankton communities in in-situ mesocosms off Peru. The experiment investigated the interactive effects of light and upwelling on the Humboldt upwelling ecosystem by mimicking a gradient of upwelling intensities (0%, 15%, 30%, 45% and 60%) under summer-time high light and winter-time low light. Integrated seawater samples from a depth between 0 and 10m were collected using a 5L Integrating Water sampler (IWS; Hydro-Bios, Kiel). To obtain pigment concentrations 0.15 – 1L of water sampled from the water column were filtered onto glass-fiber filters (precombusted at 450°C for 6h, GFF, 0.7 µm nominal pore size, Whatman) using a low vacuum of 200 mbar. Afterwards the filters were stored in cryovials at -80°C until analysis of photosynthetic pigments using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) following (Barlow et al., 1997; doi:10.3354/meps161303) as described by (Paul et al., 2015; doi:10.5194/bg-19-5911-2022). The phytoplankton community composition was calculated with CHEMTAX, which classifies phytoplankton taxa based upon taxon-specific pigment ratios (Mackey et al., 1996; doi:10.3354/meps144265). The values for the Peruvian upwelling system determined by (DiTullio et al., 2005; doi:10.4319/LO.2005.50.6.1887) as described by (Meyer et al., 2017; doi:10.3389/fmars.2017.00001) were used as pigment ratios. As phytoplankton microscopy revealed high abundances of the raphydophite Fibrocapsa japonica, the initial pigment matrix was complemented by ratios for F. japonica from (Laza-Martinez et al., 2007; doi:10.1093/plankt/fbm069) from the Atlantic.

Description: This data is part of the BMBF project CUSCO (Coastal Upwelling Systems in a Changing Ocean). Here we report the dissolved organic carbon and total dissolved nitrogen concentrations during a 35-day experiment, where we enclosed natural plankton communities in in-situ mesocosms off Peru. The experiment investigated the interactive effects of light and upwelling on the Humboldt upwelling ecosystem by mimicking a gradient of upwelling intensities (0%, 15%, 30%, 45% and 60%) under summer-time high light and winter-time low light. Integrated seawater samples from a depth between 0 and 10m were collected using a 5L Integrating Water sampler (IWS; Hydro-Bios, Kiel). Sub-samples (60 mL) were syringe filtered through two pre-combusted glass fiber filters (5 h, 450 °C). To reduce clogging, one 3.1 µm GMF filter was placed on top of a 0.7 µm GFF filter. The filtrate was acidified to pH 2 with 25% HCl before storing at -20°C until analysis. The DOC and TDN concentrations were measured using a TOC-VCPH analyser (Shimadzu). Instrument accuracy was evaluated by comparison against a deep Atlantic seawater reference (Consensus Reference Material project: D. Hansell, University of Miami, USA).

Description: This data is part of the BMBF project CUSCO (Coastal Upwelling Systems in a Changing Ocean). Here we report particulate organic matter concentrations collected during a 35-day experiment where we enclosed natural plankton communities in in-situ mesocosms off Peru. The experiment investigated the interactive effects of light and upwelling on the Humboldt upwelling ecosystem by mimicking a gradient of upwelling intensities (0%, 15%, 30%, 45% and 60%) under summer-time high light and winter-time low light. Integrated seawater samples from a depth between 0 and 10m were collected using a 5L Integrating Water sampler (IWS; Hydro-Bios, Kiel). Samples (150-1000 ml) were filtered onto a 0.7 µm pre-combusted glass-fiber filters (GFF, Whatman). The filters were acidified and then dried in the oven at 60 °C for 24 hours and total particulate carbon (TPC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON) content were measured using a CN analyzer (Euro EA3000, HEKAtech GmbH, Wegberg, Germany). POP filters were autoclaved for 30 min in 100 mL Schott Duran glass bottles using an oxidizing decomposition solution (Merck, catalogue no. 112936) to convert organic phosphate to orthophosphate. Phosphate concentrations were determined spectrophotometrically following Hansen and Koroleff (1999; doi:10.1002/9783527613984.ch10).

Description: Marine nitrogen (N2) fixation supports significant primary productivity in the global ocean. However, in one of the most productive regions of the world ocean, the northern Humboldt Upwelling System (HUS), the magnitude and spatial distribution of this process remains poorly characterized. This study presents a spatially resolved dataset of N2 fixation rates across six coastal transects of the northern HUS off Peru (8°S – 16°S) during austral summer. N2 fixation rates were detected throughout the waters column including within the OMZ between 12°S and 16°S. N2 fixation rates were highest where the subsurface Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ, O2 〈20 µmol L-1) was most intense and estimated nitrogen (N) loss was highest. There, rates were measured throughout the water column. Hence the vertical and spatial distribution of rates indicates colocation of N2 fixation with N loss in the coastal productive waters of the northern HUS. Despite high phosphate and total dissolvable iron (TdFe) concentrations throughout the study area, N2 fixation was still generally low (1.19 ± 3.81 nmol L-1 d-1) and its distribution could not be directly explained by these two factors. Our results suggest that the distribution was likely influenced by a complex interplay of environmental factors including phytoplankton biomass and organic matter availability, and potentially iron, or other trace metal (co)-limitation of both N2 fixation and primary production. In general, our results support previous conclusions that N2 fixation in the northern HUS plays a minor role as a source of new N and to replenish the regional N loss. Key Points: A north-to-south pattern in N2 fixation rates was observed implying increased N turnover between 12°S and 16°S where N loss was pronounced Highest N2 fixation rates were measured in coastal productive waters above and within the OMZ, showing no clear relationship with Fe or P The magnitude of N2 fixation was low compared to predictions, estimated to account for ∼0.3% of primary production and 〈2% of local N loss