Impact of intensifying nitrogen limitation on ocean net primary production is fingerprinted by nitrogen isotopes

Buchanan, Pearse J, Aumont, Olivier, Bopp, Laurent, Mahaffey, Claire ORCID: 0000-0002-4215-7271 and Tagliabue, Alessandro ORCID: 0000-0002-3572-3634 (2021) Impact of intensifying nitrogen limitation on ocean net primary production is fingerprinted by nitrogen isotopes NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 12 (1). 6214-. ISSN 2041-1723, 2041-1723

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Abstract

The open ocean nitrogen cycle is being altered by increases in anthropogenic atmospheric nitrogen deposition and climate change. How the nitrogen cycle responds will determine long-term trends in net primary production (NPP) in the nitrogen-limited low latitude ocean, but is poorly constrained by uncertainty in how the source-sink balance will evolve. Here we show that intensifying nitrogen limitation of phytoplankton, associated with near-term reductions in NPP, causes detectable declines in nitrogen isotopes (δ¹⁵N) and constitutes the primary perturbation of the 21^st century nitrogen cycle. Model experiments show that ~75% of the low latitude twilight zone develops anomalously low δ¹⁵N by 2060, predominantly due to the effects of climate change that alter ocean circulation, with implications for the nitrogen source-sink balance. Our results highlight that δ¹⁵N changes in the low latitude twilight zone may provide a useful constraint on emerging changes to nitrogen limitation and NPP over the 21^st century.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Phytoplankton, Nitrogen Isotopes, Seawater, Oceans and Seas, Climate Change, Nitrogen Cycle
Divisions:	Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	02 Nov 2021 16:16
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2026 10:27
DOI:	10.1038/s41467-021-26552-w
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26552-w
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3142541
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