Coupling of oceanic carbon and nitrogen facilitates spatially resolved quantitative reconstruction of nitrate inventories

Abstract

Anthropogenic impacts are perturbing the global nitrogen cycle via warming effects and pollutant sources such as chemical fertilizers and burning of fossil fuels. Understanding controls on past nitrogen inventories might improve predictions for future global biogeochemical cycling. Here we show the quantitative reconstruction of deglacial bottom water nitrate concentrations from intermediate depths of the Peruvian upwelling region, using foraminiferal pore density. Deglacial nitrate concentrations correlate strongly with downcore δ ¹³C, consistent with modern water column observations in the intermediate Pacific, facilitating the use of δ ¹³C records as a paleo-nitrate-proxy at intermediate depths and suggesting that the carbon and nitrogen cycles were closely coupled throughout the last deglaciation in the Peruvian upwelling region. Combining the pore density and intermediate Pacific δ ¹³C records shows an elevated nitrate inventory of >10% during the Last Glacial Maximum relative to the Holocene, consistent with a δ ¹³C-based and δ ¹⁵N-based 3D ocean biogeochemical model and previous box modeling studies.

Abstract

Understanding controls on past nitrogen budgets can improve predictions for future global biogeochemical cycling. Here, using foraminiferal pore density and δ ¹³C, the authors present a quantitative record of deglacial nitrate from the intermediate Pacific and infer close coupling between carbon and nitrogen cycles.