Phosphorus and Nitrogen in the Sea Lecture Review

A set of flashcards designed to help students review key concepts from the lecture on phosphorus and nitrogen cycles in marine environments.

What are the two main nutrients discussed in the lecture regarding ocean chemistry?

Phosphorus and Nitrogen

What is the primary process influencing deep ocean chemistry?

Respiration of organic matter

What is the primary biological process in the surface ocean?

Photosynthesis and the production of organic matter

What is the definition of the biological pump in oceanic ecosystems?

The process that balances the supply of organic matter to the deep ocean and the renewal of nutrients to the surface ocean.

What is the primary form of dissolved phosphorus in the sea?

Dissolved inorganic phosphate (orthophosphate)

What is the significance of the oxygen minimum zone in relation to phosphorus and nitrogen cycles?

It has higher pCO2 and nutrient regeneration due to decreased oxygen concentration.

What are the two types of nitrogen fixation mentioned in the lecture?

Industrial fixation and biological nitrogen fixation.

What process in the nitrogen cycle converts ammonium to nitrite and then to nitrate?

Nitrification

What are the main reservoirs of nitrogen in the ocean?

Atmospheric nitrogen, dissolved N2 gas in seawater, and particulate nitrogen.

How does the concentration of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) change from the surface to deeper waters?

Concentrations decrease in surface waters due to uptake by phytoplankton and increase with depth.