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Nutrient control of phytoplankton photosynthesis in the western North AtlanticResults from several years of oceanographic cruises are reported which show that the parameters of the photosynthesis-light curve of the flora of the North Sargasso Sea are remarkably constant in magnitude, except during the spring phytoplankton bloom when their magnitudes are noticeably higher. These results are interpreted as providing direct evidence for nutrient control of photosynthesis in the open ocean. The findings also reinforce the plausibility of using biogeochemical provinces to partition the ocean into manageable units for basin- or global-scale analysis. They show that seasonal changes in critical parameter should not be overlooked if robust carbon budgets are to be constructed, and illustrate the value of attacking the parameters that control the key fluxes, rather than the fluxes themselves, when investigating the ocean carbon cycle.
Document ID
19920045826
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Platt, Trevor
(Bedford Institute of Oceanography Dartmouth, Canada)
Sathyendranath, Shubha
(Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth; Dalhousie University Halifax, Canada)
Ulloa, Osvaldo
(Dalhousie University Halifax, Canada)
Harrison, William G.
(Bedford Institute of Oceanography Dartmouth, Canada)
Hoepffner, Nicolas
(Dalhousie University Halifax, Canada)
Goes, Joaquim
(National Institute of Oceanography Goa, India)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
March 19, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: Nature
Volume: 356
ISSN: 0028-0836
Subject Category
Oceanography
Accession Number
92A28450
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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