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Abstract. Marine diazotrophs convert dinitrogen (N2) gas intobioavailable nitrogen (N), supporting life in the global ocean. In 2012, thefirst version of the global oceanic diazotroph database (version 1) waspublished. Here, we present an updated version of the database (version 2),significantly increasing the number of in situ diazotrophic measurements from13 565 to 55 286. Data points for N2 fixation rates, diazotrophic cellabundance, and nifH gene copy abundance have increased by 184 %, 86 %, and809 %, respectively. Version 2 includes two new data sheets for the nifH genecopy abundance of non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs and cell-specific N2fixation rates. The measurements of N2 fixation rates approximatelyfollow a log-normal distribution in both version 1 and version 2. However,version 2 considerably extends both the left and right tails of thedistribution. Consequently, when estimating global oceanic N2 fixationrates using the geometric means of different ocean basins, version 1 andversion 2 yield similar rates (43–57 versus 45–63 Tg N yr−1; rangesbased on one geometric standard error). In contrast, when using arithmeticmeans, version 2 suggests a significantly higher rate of 223±30 Tg N yr−1 (mean ± standard error; same hereafter) compared to version 1(74±7 Tg N yr−1). Specifically, substantial rate increases areestimated for the South Pacific Ocean (88±23 versus 20±2 Tg N yr−1), primarily driven by measurements in the southwestern subtropics,and for the North Atlantic Ocean (40±9 versus 10±2 Tg N yr−1). Moreover, version 2 estimates the N2 fixation rate in theIndian Ocean to be 35±14 Tg N yr−1, which could not be estimatedusing version 1 due to limited data availability. Furthermore, a comparisonof N2 fixation rates obtained through different measurement methods atthe same months, locations, and depths reveals that the conventional15N2 bubble method yields lower rates in 69 % cases compared tothe new 15N2 dissolution method. This updated version of thedatabase can facilitate future studies in marine ecology andbiogeochemistry. The database is stored at the Figshare repository(https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21677687; Shao etal., 2022).

Recent studies have challenged the validity of the Redfield ratio. It is proposed that physical and biogeochemical processes govern the geographical variations in carbon : nitrogen : phosphorus (C : N : P) ratios. However, this proposal remains to be examined through concurrent observations of C : N : P ratios with physical and biogeochemical processes in various marine reservoirs. Here, we sampled the Arabian Sea for its C, N, and P content in organic and inorganic pools during the winter monsoon. We analyzed the role of convective mixing, eddies, and N2 fixation to explain the variation in observed elemental ratios. Convective mixing injected the cold water and enhanced the supply of N and P nutrients in the top layer (surface to 50–75 m) of the northern Arabian Sea. This led to a decrease in the N : P and C : P ratios in the particulate organic matter in the northern region, but C : N : P increased equatorward, averaging 245 : 32 : 1 in the top layer of the Arabian Sea. The variation in the elemental ratios in the top layer is best explained by the changes in water temperature. N2 fixation contributed negligibly to the N : P ratio of the export flux. The substantial decrease in N : P ratios of nutrients in the subsurface waters is most likely caused by the denitrifying conditions in the Arabian Sea. As the processes of convective mixing and eddies are are prevalent oceanic processes, our observations underpin that the interplay of these processes leads to changes in the elemental ratios globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine dinitrogen (N2) fixation fuels primary production and thereby influences the Earth's climate. Yet, its geographical distribution and controlling environmental parameters remain debatable. We measured N2 fixation rates from the two spatially and physicochemically contrasting regions of the Arabian Sea during the winter monsoon: (a) the colder and nutrient‐rich waters in the northern region owing to winter convection and (b) the warmer and nutrient‐poor waters in the southern region unaffected by winter convection. We found higher N2 fixation rates at the surface of northern region due to convective mixing driven supply of phosphate (intuitively iron also) from the underlying suboxic waters. N2 fixation was favored by high nutrient concentrations in the euphotic waters, whereas remained unaffected by nutrient availability in the aphotic waters. We conclude that diazotrophs dwelling in the euphotic zone chose phosphate over fixed nitrogen‐poor waters. However, we found that among oligotrophic waters, anticyclonic eddy extremes the barrier of fixed nitrogen supply, and thereby, elevates N2 fixation. While the Arabian Sea loses about 20%–40% of the global ocean fixed nitrogen, we estimate that N2 fixation in the Arabian Sea offsets only up to 42% of its fixed nitrogen‐loss by denitrification, but this offset could be higher if diazotrophic activity is further examined up to the deeper depths of the Arabian Sea. Plain Language Summary: Phytoplankton facilitate the removal of greenhouse carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere. However, phytoplankton's carbon dioxide assimilation ability is largely controlled by the reactive forms of nitrogen (N, such as ammonium, nitrate and nitrite). In contrast, the N‐limited environments often create a suitable niche for diazotrophs—organisms genetically proficient to convert dinitrogen (N2) gas to a reactive form of N. Previous research has hypothesized close spatial coupling between N2 fixation and N‐loss processes because the latter result in an N‐deficit, that is, a conducive condition for diazotrophs. Here, we measured N2 fixation rates in and above the N‐loss dominated waters of the Arabian Sea. The highest N2 fixation occurred near the coast of the Arabian Sea. We found relatively high N2 fixation rates above the waters with the highest N‐loss owing to convective mixing driven supply of nutrients such as phosphate and probably iron. N2 fixation rates below the sunlit layer were consistent but low. Our study showed that physical processes substantially influence N2 fixation by affecting nutrients supply. Key Points: Winter convection elevates N2 fixation through the enhanced supply of nutrients from the suboxic waters to the surface waters of the Arabian SeaDiazotrophy offsets up to 42% of the Arabian Sea's denitrification deficitWinter convective mixing strengthens the long‐held hypothesis of coupling between N‐gain and ‐loss processes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Recent observations and numerical simulations have profoundly established that the C:N:P ratios in the ocean deviate from the canonical Redfield Ratio (106:16:1). Physical and biogeochemical processes have been hypothesized to be responsible for this deviation. However, a paucity of concurrent observations on biogeochemical and physical parameters have barred us to understand their exact role on the C:N:P ratios. For this purpose, we have sampled the Bay of Bengal for its C, N, and P contents in the organic and inorganic pools from 5 to 2000 m depth at eight stations (five coastal and three open ocean) during boreal spring 2019. Mesoscale anticyclonic eddies were identified at two of the sampling stations, where nutrient concentrations were lower in the top layer (5 m to the depth of chlorophyll maximum) compared to those at the non-eddy stations. Mean (NO3−+NO2−):PO43− ratio was lower at the anticyclonic eddy stations compared to that at the non-eddy stations in the top layer. Yet C:N:P ratios in the particulate and dissolved organic matter in the top layer were the same at anticyclonic eddy and non-eddy stations. Overall the mean C:N:P ratios were 249:39:1 in particulate organic matter and 2338:146:1 in dissolved organic matter in the top layer. Biological N2 fixation was not a driver in controlling the N:P ratio of the export flux and the subsurface water nutrient ratios during spring. Although the Bay of Bengal receives large riverine influx, its influence in changing the C:N:P ratios was small during this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we develop a simple method for estimation of wax content in crude oil and their fractions. The traditional way of wax estimation follows low-temperature chemical extraction based gravimetric methods; those are tedious, time-consuming, need a lot of chemicals and solvents and may produce an erroneous result if not done properly. This study proposes an alternative method i.e. 1H NMR based correlation study to Englar Holde's wax determination method. In this study, the NMR derived structural parameters of petroleum fractions are used to estimate the wax content of petroleum fractions. A Model equation is developed based on Fourier equation and validated with different Indian origin samples with a proper fitting and high predictability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]