357
Micronutrients in the Oceans
where the first compound is a hypothetical organic molecule containing the C:N:P ratio of
average plankton. This equation assumed a C:O 2 ratio of 1:1, an N:O 2 ratio of 1:2, and a computed P:O 2 ratio of 1:138. The O 2 rate was not based on observations made in the oceans.
To test the Redfield (1958) model (Redfield et al., 1963), one normally examines a plot of
AOU versus the concentrations of nutrients arising from the oxidation. A number of workers have tested this model by examining values of O 2 :PO 4
3– and O 2 :NO 3
– in the Atlantic and
30
20
10
0 0
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
1
2
3
0.5
1
1.5
Phosphate
Phosphate
Nitrate
Nitrate
0
0.5
1.5
Phosphate
2
2.5
1
10
20
30
Nitrate
2
40°W
20°W
90°N
30°N
90°S
30°S 30°E 60°E 90°E 120°E
Ocean Data View
Ocean Data View
Ocean Data View
Ocean Data
View
Ocean
Data View
Ocean Data
View
Figure 8.19
Correlations of the molar ratio of nitrogen to phosphate for the three major oceans.