Nitrate respiration associated with detrital aggregates in aerobic bottom waters of the abyssal NE Pacific

Rates of nitrate utilization in tube core respirometers (TCR) placed over aggregates on the seafloor at an abyssal site (Station M) in the eastern North Pacific Ocean increased at times of high particle flux. In the presence of aggregates, both oxygen and nitrate were used in respiration. The ratio of O2 : NO3 concentrations in ambient waters was 3.9, while O2 : NO3 utilization rates in TCR overlying and TCR aggregate pore waters were 2.6 and 0.6, respectively. We postulated that denitrification was occurring in microzones of the particle-rich oxygenated (135 μM) waters. To test this, nitrate respiration was measured aboard a ship in oxygen-minimum (∼26 μM) water supplemented with particulate matter collected by a surface net tow. Dissolved oxygen consumption occurred immediately, followed by nitrate utilization while oxygen was still present. Calculations from cell densities indicated 0.6 μM of the original 42 μM of nitrate was assimilated into bacterial biomass during 36 h of incubation, suggesting the major portion of the utilized nitrate was used in respiration. Nitrate utilization rates in the in situ incubation study and those of the shipboard experiment were 3.1 and 2.7 μM d-1, respectively. The results of the present studies suggest nitrate respiration occurs in microzones of aggregates in oxygenated bottom waters at times of high particle flux and causes some loss of fixed nitrogen.