[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Nutrient limitation
In a message dated 97-12-09 04:09:37 EST, you write:
<<
> Karen wrote:
> << But isn't it possible to limit N in the _water column_, while still not
> allowing N to be limited in the substrate? >>
Bob Dixon replied:
> Nitrogen is the single most common element in the atmosphere. It will be
> almost four times more common in the water column than oxygen, because
> of the forces that cause exchange of gases at the surface.
Charley answered-
>True, but this is merely N2, and entirely inaccessible to our aquatic
> plants. Even though it is so common in the atmosphere, nitrogen
> is almost always the #1 limiting factor in terrestrial plant growth
> because N2 is also inaccessible by almost all terrestrial plants.
>>
Bob responds again-
True enough, but the original thread contained references to BGA as being able
to "fix" nitrogen. The nitrogen it would be fixing would be the N2 from the
water which would be coming from the gaseous nitrogen in the atmosphere.
Bob