Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

SS16 Iron Bioavailability and Limitation to Primary Production (Disciplinary Connections)

Date: Monday, February 12, 2001, Time: 11:00:00 AM

Location: Mesilla

Webb, E, , Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA, ewebb@whoi.edu

Moffett, J, W, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA, jmoffett@whoi.edu

Waterbury, J, B, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA, jwaterbury@whoi.edu

Iron scavenging by marine cyanobacteria (Synechococcus spp., Prochlorococcus, Crocosphaera, and Trichodesmium).

Prokaryotic photoautotrophs (i.e., Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus spp., Crocosphaera, and Trichodesmium) are prominent constituents of the marine biosphere that account for a significant percentage of global primary productivity. Additionally, in warm waters diazotrophic cyanobacteria (i.e., Trichodesmium and Crocosphaera) are vital components of the marine and global nitrogen cycles. Recent work has strongly suggested that large regions of the ocean are limited by iron (Fe), thereby implying that these prominent prokaryotes are similarly limited in these regions. However, since much of the aforementioned work has focused on eukaryotic phytoplankton, clear demonstration of Fe limitation in marine cyanobacteria remains to be shown. Using data from both genomic observation and experimentation possible mechanisms of Fe acquisition in marine cyanobacteria will be discussed as well as the utilization of this knowledge for the implementation of an in situ Fe stress assay in these organisms.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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