Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1987

DOI

10.4319/lo.1987.32.2.0359

Publication Title

Limnology and Oceanography

Volume

32

Issue

2

Pages

359-367

Abstract

Studies of upwelling centers in the eastern Pacific suggest that maximum rates of nitrate uptake (light and nutrient saturated) increase, or shift-up, as newly upwelled water moves downstream. The rate of shift-up appears to be related to irradiance and the ambient concentration of limiting nutrient at the time of upwelling. A mathematical model was developed to evaluate effects of irradiance and initial nitrate concentration on temporal patterns of shift-up and subsequent time scales of nutrient utilization over a range of simulated upwelling conditions. When rates consistent with field studies were used, complete shift-up was possible only under certain conditions, and the time scale was on the order of 7-10 d. These results are consistent with field observations. Increased initial nitrate concentrations resulted in more rapid depletion of the nutrient supply. Making acceleration of V max constant and independent of the nitrate concentration reversed the qualitative pattern of nutrient utilization and predicted longer time scales in the region of optimal growth (12- 15 d) than have been observed in the field. Since changes in nitrogen-specific V max observed in situ may be due to downstream sinking of detrital nitrogen, a third hypothesis was evaluated, in which there was no shift-up in Vmax. This last scenario is untenable, predicting time scales of nutrient utilization two to three times longer than observed in the field.

Original Publication Citation

Zimmerman, R.C., Kremer, J.N., & Dugdale, R.C. (1987). Acceleration of nutrient uptake by phytoplankton in a coastal upwelling ecosystem: A modeling analysis. Limnology and Oceanography, 32(2), 359-367. doi: 10.4319/lo.1987.32.2.0359

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