Nutrient Limitation Exercise

NAS 248 Aquatic Chemistry Assignment on Nutrient Limitation

Explain what the Redfield Ratio is and how it relates to nutrient limitation. Specifically, what does it tell us about the major plant nutrients in seawater?

Visit the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) site at the following web address:
https://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu/

I am asking you to choose two NERR sites and the east coast and two NERR sites on the west coast.

For each NERR site, i would like you to calculate and examine whether or not nitrogen is the limiting nutrient or phosphorus is the limiting nutrient in these systems. To do this, you will select a NERR site and use the “Data Graphing and Export System”. You will need to choose a site within each NERR that has “NUT” in the file name as this indicates that site has nutrient data. I would recommend looking at data for a year from Jan 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.

For each site, give the following:

1. NERR Site Name: _______________________________
Avg Yearly Nitrate+Nitrite Concentration in mg N/L ________________-
Avg Yearly Ammomium Concentration in mg N/L ___________________

Add the Nitrate/Nitrite + Ammonium values together in mg N/L and convert to moles/L in the space below:

Avg Yearly Orthophosphate Concentration in mg P/L ______________________

Convert the Orthophophsphate Concentration to moles/L in the space below:

For this NERR site, what is the N:P ratio that you calculated in moles:moles ______________

Is this is nitrogen limited system or a phosphate limited system? Explain why.

2. NERR Site Name: _______________________________
Avg Yearly Nitrate+Nitrite Concentration in mg N/L ________________-
Avg Yearly Ammomium Concentration in mg N/L ___________________

Add the Nitrate/Nitrite + Ammonium values together in mg N/L and convert to moles/L in the space below:

Avg Yearly Orthophosphate Concentration in mg P/L ______________________

Convert the Orthophophsphate Concentration to moles/L in the space below:

For this NERR site, what is the N:P ratio that you calculated in moles:moles ______________

Is this is nitrogen limited system or a phosphate limited system? Explain why.

3. NERR Site Name: _______________________________
Avg Yearly Nitrate+Nitrite Concentration in mg N/L ________________-
Avg Yearly Ammomium Concentration in mg N/L ___________________

Add the Nitrate/Nitrite + Ammonium values together in mg N/L and convert to moles/L in the space below:

Avg Yearly Orthophosphate Concentration in mg P/L ______________________

Convert the Orthophophsphate Concentration to moles/L in the space below:

For this NERR site, what is the N:P ratio that you calculated in moles:moles ______________

Is this is nitrogen limited system or a phosphate limited system? Explain why.

4. NERR Site Name: _______________________________
Avg Yearly Nitrate+Nitrite Concentration in mg N/L ________________-
Avg Yearly Ammomium Concentration in mg N/L ___________________

Add the Nitrate/Nitrite + Ammonium values together in mg N/L and convert to moles/L in the space below:

Avg Yearly Orthophosphate Concentration in mg P/L ______________________

Convert the Orthophophsphate Concentration to moles/L in the space below:

For this NERR site, what is the N:P ratio that you calculated in moles:moles ______________

Is this is nitrogen limited system or a phosphate limited system? Explain why.