Nutrients

redfield ratio

constant rate of C:N:P used to determine cell health

what organism fixes nitrogen?

cyanobacteria

why is it so expensive to fix nitrogen?

requires cellular modification; nitrogenase needs an anaerobic environment to function

F ratio

ratio of new production (nitrate) to total production (nitrate AND every other form of nitrogen)

anammox process

produces N2

most common form of phosphorus

HPO₄^2-

DSMP

produced by cells when stressed, oxidizes to form clouds

NO₃^-

nitrate

NO_2^-

nitrite

N₂O

nitrous oxide

NH₄^-

ammonium

N₂

nitrogen gas

what parts of the nitrogen cycle happen in the OMZ?

biologically available nitrogen being turned into unavailable nitrogen gas

nitrification

N₂O is turned into NO₃^- by aerobic bacteria

nitrogen fixation

N₂ is converted into biologically available nitrogen (NO₃^- or NO₂^-)

heterotrophic denitrification

removes reactive nitrogen from the ocean by converting NO₃^- to N₂

DRNA (dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia)

some N₂ is converted to ammonia in the OMZ