Pelagic nitrogen dynamics in the Vietnamese upwelling area according to stable nitrogen and carbon isotope data

Abstract

Upwelling and nitrogen (N) fixation provide new N for primary production off southern central Vietnam. Here we evaluate the roles of both N sources for zooplankton nutrition by comparing δ15N and δ13C values in nitrate, particulate organic matter (POM), and six net-plankton size fractions from monsoon and intermonsoon seasons. The δ13C values in POM and the net-plankton size fractions differed by 2–4‰ at any time. We assume that plankton from the POM filters was dominated by nano-and picoplankton as opposed to micro- and mesoplankton in the net-samples. The implications of this are discussed in terms of size differential pathways of C and N in the planktonic food web. We used δ15N to estimate the differences in N nutrition between the actual upwelling region and the oligotrophic area further offshore. The δ15N values of the net-plankton size fractions were depleted in δ15N by ca. 2‰ outside compared to inside the upwelling area during the monsoon season. We attribute these patterns to the additional utilization of N derived from N fixation. The concomitant findings of high N fixation rates reported earlier and low subthermocline nitrate (nitratesub) values of 2.9–3.6‰ support this conclusion. Net-plankton δ15N values increased with size, pointing to the dominance of higher trophic levels in the larger size fractions. According to a two source mixing model N fixation may have provided up to 13% of the N demand in higher trophic levels.