Tivig, M., Keller, D. P., & Oschlies, A. (2021). Riverine nitrogen supply to the global ocean and its limited impact on global marine primary production: a feedback study using an Earth system model. Biogeosciences, 18(19), 5327–5350. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5327-2021
Summary
Nitrogen is one of the most important elements for life in the ocean. A major source is the riverine discharge of dissolved nitrogen. While global models often omit rivers as a nutrient source, the authors of this study included nitrogen from rivers in the Earth system computational model. They found that additional nitrogen affected marine biology not only locally but also in regions far off the coast. Depending on regional conditions, primary production was enhanced or even decreased due to internal feedbacks in the nitrogen cycle. This study highlights the importance of incorporation of riverine nitrogen input in the earth system models.