Primary ProductivityNutrient Cycling

Honors Biology – Edgar

October 2011

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/psn.modis.2002_lrg.jpg

NPP=GPP-R

phytoplankton

Who are the Phytoplankton?

Coccolithophore

Diatoms

Dinoflagellates

Dep

th in

m

ete

rs0

100

Nutrients

Euphotic

Zone or

Mixed Layer

Thermocline

0µM 5µM 10µM

200

Thermocline

0% 50% 100% Light0° 10° 20° Temperature

Gulf of Maine Data: Wilkinson and Jordan

Basins

Wilk. Basin

Jordan Basin

Nucleic AcidsLipidsProteinsCarbohydrates

CO2

LightNutrients (N, P, etc)

The Redfield Ratio106106 Carbon : 1616 Nitrogen : 11 Phosphorus

Liebig’s Law:Liebig’s Law: Growth of a “plant” is determined by availability of the single most limiting

resource. Redfield

Duck?

Nutrient Cycle