A global dataset of nitrogen fixation rates across inland and coastal waters
Robinson W. Fulweiler, Megan E. Berberich, Shelby Rinehart, Jason M. Taylor, Michelle C. Kelly, Nicholas E. Ray, Autumn Oczkowski, Sawyer Balint, Alexandra H. Geisser, Catherine R. Mahoney, Mar Benavides, Matthew J. Church, Brianna M. Loeks, Silvia E. Newell, Malin Olofsson, Henry Oppong Tuffour, Sarah S. Roley, Carmella Vizza, Samuel T. Wilson, Peter M. Groffman, J. Thad Scott, Amy Marcarelli
Abstract
Abstract Biological nitrogen fixation is the conversion of dinitrogen (N 2 ) gas into bioavailable nitrogen by microorganisms with consequences for primary production, ecosystem function, and global climate. Here we present a compiled dataset of 4793 nitrogen fixation (N 2 ‐fixation) rates measured in the water column and benthos of inland and coastal systems via the acetylene reduction assay, 15 N 2 labeling, or N 2 /Ar technique. While the data are distributed across seven continents, most observations (88%) are from the northern hemisphere. 15 N 2 labeling accounted for 67% of water column measurements, while the acetylene reduction assay accounted for 81% of benthic N 2 ‐fixation observations. Dataset median area‐, volume‐, and mass‐normalized N 2 ‐fixation rates are 7.1 μ mol N 2 ‐N m −2 h −1 , 2.3 × 10 −4 μ mol N 2 ‐N L −1 h −1 , and 4.8 × 10 −4 μ mol N 2 ‐N g −1 h −1 , respectively. This dataset will facilitate future efforts to study and scale N 2 ‐fixation contributions across inland and coastal aquatic environments.