Spatial and seasonal variability of excess dinitrogen gas in the Baltic Sea
To determine the excess of dissolved dinitrogen gas (ΔN2 > 0 indicates the loss of bioavailable dissolved nitrogen) in the water column of the Baltic Proper, we measured N2/Ar ratios below the halocline at 19 stations during different seasons between 2017 and 2021. ΔN2 concentrations below th...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1455803/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832542927192064000 |
|---|---|
| author | Pratha Sivasamy Magdalena Diak Aleksandra Winogradow Hermann W. Bange Marta Borecka Przemysław Makuch Katarzyna Koziorowska-Makuch Karol Kuliński Anna Mackiewicz Beata Szymczycha |
| author_facet | Pratha Sivasamy Magdalena Diak Aleksandra Winogradow Hermann W. Bange Marta Borecka Przemysław Makuch Katarzyna Koziorowska-Makuch Karol Kuliński Anna Mackiewicz Beata Szymczycha |
| author_sort | Pratha Sivasamy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To determine the excess of dissolved dinitrogen gas (ΔN2 > 0 indicates the loss of bioavailable dissolved nitrogen) in the water column of the Baltic Proper, we measured N2/Ar ratios below the halocline at 19 stations during different seasons between 2017 and 2021. ΔN2 concentrations below the halocline ranged from 1.0 to 32.6 µmol L-1 for all seasons and sites. A significant spatial difference in ΔN2 (p = 0.0001) was observed, with the highest values found in the Gotland Deep. The seasonal changes in ΔN2 were statistically significant (p = 0.005) with the highest concentrations observed in winter. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing the variability of ΔN2 on a large scale in the Baltic Proper. Our findings suggest that the cumulative loss of bioavailable nitrogen via denitrification and anammox is an important mechanism in the Baltic Sea nitrogen cycle. The accumulated signal of N2 production is, however, not uniform across the Baltic Proper, exhibiting significant seasonal and spatial variabilities. This calls for future, investigations on a broad spatial scale and a seasonal resolution which focus on denitrification and anammox rates in the water column, by utilizing a consistent methodological approach. It is essential to ensure an accurate representation of the nitrogen loss, which in turn is important for managing eutrophication and maintaining a good environmental status in the Baltic Sea. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e3df81a8dc7c4df89f9d9fb38b839246 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-e3df81a8dc7c4df89f9d9fb38b8392462025-02-03T13:26:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452025-02-011210.3389/fmars.2025.14558031455803Spatial and seasonal variability of excess dinitrogen gas in the Baltic SeaPratha Sivasamy0Magdalena Diak1Aleksandra Winogradow2Hermann W. Bange3Marta Borecka4Przemysław Makuch5Katarzyna Koziorowska-Makuch6Karol Kuliński7Anna Mackiewicz8Beata Szymczycha9Marine Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandMarine Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandMarine Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandMarine Biogeochemistry, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, GermanyMarine Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandMarine Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandMarine Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandMarine Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandMarine Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandMarine Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, PolandTo determine the excess of dissolved dinitrogen gas (ΔN2 > 0 indicates the loss of bioavailable dissolved nitrogen) in the water column of the Baltic Proper, we measured N2/Ar ratios below the halocline at 19 stations during different seasons between 2017 and 2021. ΔN2 concentrations below the halocline ranged from 1.0 to 32.6 µmol L-1 for all seasons and sites. A significant spatial difference in ΔN2 (p = 0.0001) was observed, with the highest values found in the Gotland Deep. The seasonal changes in ΔN2 were statistically significant (p = 0.005) with the highest concentrations observed in winter. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing the variability of ΔN2 on a large scale in the Baltic Proper. Our findings suggest that the cumulative loss of bioavailable nitrogen via denitrification and anammox is an important mechanism in the Baltic Sea nitrogen cycle. The accumulated signal of N2 production is, however, not uniform across the Baltic Proper, exhibiting significant seasonal and spatial variabilities. This calls for future, investigations on a broad spatial scale and a seasonal resolution which focus on denitrification and anammox rates in the water column, by utilizing a consistent methodological approach. It is essential to ensure an accurate representation of the nitrogen loss, which in turn is important for managing eutrophication and maintaining a good environmental status in the Baltic Sea.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1455803/fulldenitrificationanammoxwater columnhaloclineN2/Ar |
| spellingShingle | Pratha Sivasamy Magdalena Diak Aleksandra Winogradow Hermann W. Bange Marta Borecka Przemysław Makuch Katarzyna Koziorowska-Makuch Karol Kuliński Anna Mackiewicz Beata Szymczycha Spatial and seasonal variability of excess dinitrogen gas in the Baltic Sea Frontiers in Marine Science denitrification anammox water column halocline N2/Ar |
| title | Spatial and seasonal variability of excess dinitrogen gas in the Baltic Sea |
| title_full | Spatial and seasonal variability of excess dinitrogen gas in the Baltic Sea |
| title_fullStr | Spatial and seasonal variability of excess dinitrogen gas in the Baltic Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial and seasonal variability of excess dinitrogen gas in the Baltic Sea |
| title_short | Spatial and seasonal variability of excess dinitrogen gas in the Baltic Sea |
| title_sort | spatial and seasonal variability of excess dinitrogen gas in the baltic sea |
| topic | denitrification anammox water column halocline N2/Ar |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1455803/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT prathasivasamy spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea AT magdalenadiak spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea AT aleksandrawinogradow spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea AT hermannwbange spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea AT martaborecka spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea AT przemysławmakuch spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea AT katarzynakoziorowskamakuch spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea AT karolkulinski spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea AT annamackiewicz spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea AT beataszymczycha spatialandseasonalvariabilityofexcessdinitrogengasinthebalticsea |