How the Ocean Loses Nitrogen

How the Ocean Loses Nitrogen: Scientists Identify Key Factor That Controls Nitrogen Availibilty In the Ocean

Feb. 24, 2013
Tim Kalvelage
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130224142723.htm

Summary: 
Recently a group of scientists from Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen and also some from the company GEOMAR went to the South Pacific Ocean and they found some interesting data. They concluded that decaying algae controls nitrogen loss from the ocean. The ocean is rapidly filling with more nitrogen then normal. This means there is less oxygen and the nitrogen gas from the ocean is then escaping into the atmosphere which can contribute to global warming. Also, the lack of oxygen and increase of nitrogen in the ocean could change what lives in the ocean. We could see in the coming years, the increase in populations of organisms which live in the none/minimal oxygen zones of the ocean. Anaerobic bacteria converts the fixed nitrogen in the ocean to nitrogen gas which is released into the atmosphere by processes such as denitrification and anammox. 

Connection: This discovery connects to our study of microbes and also the nitrogen cycle. Microbes in the water fix the nitrogen. Then, anaerobic bacteria take the fixed nitrogen and convert it into nitrogen gas which can then exit the ocean and be released into the atmosphere. The ocean is a one of the major nitrogen holders which we talked about earlier in the year. Once the nitrogen is released into the atmosphere it could contribute to our problem of global warming. Also, this story connects to adaption because the sea organisms will have to adapt to a changing ocean environment. There will probably be an increase of anaerobic organisms in the ocean as more nitrogen fills the ocean.