Collaborative Research: Using Biogeochemical and Genetic Tools to Unravel the Environmental Controls of Nitrogen Fixation and Denitrification in Heterotrophic Marine Sediments

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"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."Although the various pathways of nitrogen exchange at the sediment-water interface are critical to our understanding of ecosystem functions, existing nitrogen budgets underestimate the amount of nitrogen fixation taking place in the open ocean and marine sediments. Recent findings regarding the role of nitrogen fixation and denitrification in coastal systems suggest that nitrogen fixation may play a more significant role than previously believed. To address this, marine chemists from the Marine Biological Laboratory, Boston University, and the University of Rhode Island are examining the role of nitrogen fixation and the environmental controls of the N2 flux in coastal shelf sediments. Using a mixture of field sampling and laboratory analyses, these scientists will identify the organisms responsible for nitrogen fixation and trace the fate of nitrogen fixed in marine sediments. The results from this research will enhance the understanding of the environmental factors that control the nitrogen balance of marine ecosystems and the oceans as a whole. In addition to this research providing a greater understanding of the marine nitrogen cycle, it will provide outreach and education opportunities for the Girls Scouts of Rhode Island, as well as, support for multiple graduate students.