The co-evolution of phytoplankton and trace element cycles in the oceans
Abstract
The composition of the oceans and of its biota have influenced each other through Earth's history. Of all the biologically essential elements, nitrogen is the only one whose seawater concentration is clearly controlled biologically; this is presumably the main reason why the stoichiometry of nitrogen (defined as its mol ratio to phosphorus), but not that of the trace nutrients manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc and cadmium, is the same in seawater and in the plankton. Like the major nutrients, the trace nutrients are depleted in surface seawater as a result of quasi-complete utilization by the biota. This is made possible in part by the ability of marine phytoplankton to replace one trace metal by another in various biochemical functions. This replacement also results in an equalization of the availability of most essential trace metals in surface seawater. The difference in the stoichiometric composition of the plankton and of deep seawater, which is the dominant source of new nutrients to the surface, indicates that some nutrients are likely recycled with different efficiencies in the photic zone. The difference in the composition of the ocean and its biota provides insight into the coupling of biochemistry and biogeochemistry in seawater.
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Given low levels of trace metals in modern oceans, organisms have had to develop strategies for dealing with possible micronutrient limitation.
“Finally, given the low levels of trace metals in modern oceans, organisms have had to develop strategies for dealing with the possibility of micronutrient limitation (e.g., Morel and Price, 2003;Morel, 2008).”
From Trace elements at the intersection of marine biological and geochemical evolution (2016) · cites this paper as Morel, 2008
Morel (2008) related elemental stoichiometry of modern phytoplankton to cycling of trace elements in the oceans and suggested trace metal cycles may have been affected by the advent of strong biological recycling to fulfill microbial needs.
“As well, Morel (2008) related the elemental stoichiometry of modern phytoplankton to the cycling of trace elements in the oceans, and further suggested that the trace metal cycles may have been affected by the advent of strong biological recycling in order to fulfill microbial needs.”
From Trace elements at the intersection of marine biological and geochemical evolution (2016) · cites this paper as Morel, 2008
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- Authors
- MOREL, F. M. M.
- Affiliations
- Princeton University (US)
- Corresponding author
- MOREL, FRANÇOIS M. M.
- Venue
- Geobiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2008-03-27
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 318-324
- ISSN
- 1472-4669 (ISSN-L)
- 1472-4677
- OpenAlex
- W2147177078
- Cited by
- 128
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 0.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Geobiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Keywords
- phytoplankton, trace metals, nitrogen-phosphorus stoichiometry, nutrient depletion, deep-sea water, nutrient cycling, biogeochemistry, coevolution
- MeSH terms
- Environment, Biological Evolution, Models, Biological, Oceans and Seas, Phytoplankton, Seawater, Metals, Heavy
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