Publication Date:
2022-05-27
Description:
© The Author(s), 2021. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Lapointe, B. E., Brewton, R. A., Herren, L. W., Wang, M., Hu, C., McGillicuddy, D. J., Lindell, S., Hernandez, F. J., & Morton, P. L. Nutrient content and stoichiometry of pelagic Sargassum reflects increasing nitrogen availability in the Atlantic Basin. Nature Communications, 12(1), (2021): 3060, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23135-7.
Description:
The pelagic brown macroalgae Sargassum spp. have grown for centuries in oligotrophic waters of the North Atlantic Ocean supported by natural nutrient sources, such as excretions from associated fishes and invertebrates, upwelling, and N2 fixation. Using a unique historical baseline, we show that since the 1980s the tissue %N of Sargassum spp. has increased by 35%, while %P has decreased by 44%, resulting in a 111% increase in the N:P ratio (13:1 to 28:1) and increased P limitation. The highest %N and δ15N values occurred in coastal waters influenced by N-rich terrestrial runoff, while lower C:N and C:P ratios occurred in winter and spring during peak river discharges. These findings suggest that increased N availability is supporting blooms of Sargassum and turning a critical nursery habitat into harmful algal blooms with catastrophic impacts on coastal ecosystems, economies, and human health.
Description:
This work was funded by the US NASA Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program (80NSSC20M0264, NNX16AR74G) and Ecological Forecast Program (NNX17AF57G), NOAA RESTORE Science Program (NA17NOS4510099), National Science Foundation (NSF-OCE 85–15492 and OCE 88–12055), “Save Our Seas” Specialty License Plate funds, granted through the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation, Ft. Pierce, FL, and a Red Wright Fellowship from the Bermuda Biological Station. A portion of this work was performed at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, which is supported by National Science Foundation Cooperative Agreement No. DMR-1644779 and the State of Florida. D.J.M. gratefully acknowledges the Holger W. Jannasch and Columbus O’Donnell Iselin Shared Chairs for Excellence in Oceanography, as well as support from the Mill Reef Fund.
Repository Name:
Woods Hole Open Access Server
Type:
Article
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