Nutrient ratios in marine particulate organic matter are predicted by the population structure of well-adapted phytoplankton.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Sharoni S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7439515 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Nutrient ratios in marine particulate organic matter are predicted by the population structure of well-adapted phytoplankton.
Sharoni Shlomit S Halevy Itay I
Science advances 20200715 29
A common assumption of a constant nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio (N:P) of 16:1 in marine particulate organic matter (POM) appears to be invalidated by observations of major spatial variations in N:P. Two main explanations have been proposed. The first attributes the N:P variability to changes in the community composition of well-adapted phytoplankton. The second proposes that variability arises from physiological acclimation involving intracellular adjustments of nutrient allocation under nutrient ...[more]
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