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{| class="model-ib" style="float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em;" ! Denitrification rate (marine N mass balance) |- | '''Approach:''' synthesis of ocean nitrogen inventory data over time |- | '''Context:''' ''in situ'', data synthesis |- | '''Spatial scale:''' ocean-w..."

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Created page with "{{BreadcrumbsNutrients}} * Page authors: PRIMO * Responsible curator: Hagen Buck-Wiese ---- __TOC__ <div class="model-box"> {| class="model-ib" style="float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em;" ! Denitrification rate (marine N mass balance) |- | '''Approach:''' synthesis of ocean nitrogen inventory data over time |- | '''Context:''' ''in situ'', data synthesis |- | '''Spatial scale:''' ocean-w..."

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{{BreadcrumbsNutrients}}

* [[Page authors|Page authors]]: [[PRIMO]]
* [[Responsible curator|Responsible curator]]: [[User:Hagi BucknWise|Hagen Buck-Wiese]]
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<div class="model-box">
{| class="model-ib" style="float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em;"
! Denitrification rate (marine N mass balance)
|-
| '''Approach:''' synthesis of ocean nitrogen inventory data over time
|-
| '''Context:''' ''in situ'', data synthesis
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| '''Spatial scale:''' ocean-wide to basin
|-
| '''Temporal scale:''' years to decades
|-
| '''Units:''' Tg N yr<sup>-1</sup>
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| '''Community captured:''' bulk
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| '''Co-measurements:''' N inventory over time; N fixation rates
|}
</div>
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== Method Overview ==

The marine nitrogen mass balance approach constrains total ocean denitrification by requiring that inputs to the fixed nitrogen (N) pool balance outputs at steady state. Inputs consist primarily of nitrogen fixation and riverine/atmospheric deposition; outputs consist of denitrification in water column oxygen minimum zones (OMZ denitrification) and sediments (benthic denitrification). If the budget is in steady state and other inputs/outputs are constrained, then total denitrification = total inputs − other sinks. Alternatively, observed changes in the ocean fixed nitrogen inventory over time can directly constrain whether the ocean N budget is in balance<ref name="Battaglia2018">Battaglia, G., & Joos, F. (2018). Marine N<sub>2</sub>O emissions from nitrification and denitrification constrained by modern observations and projected in multimillennial global warming simulations. ''Global Biogeochemical Cycles'', 32(1), 92–121. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GB005671</ref>.

=== Scale of measurement ===

Ocean-wide synthesis: The approach does not provide spatial or temporal resolution of denitrification within the ocean but constrains its global-scale magnitude.

=== Data generated ===

Estimated total marine denitrification in Tg N yr<sup>-1</sup>. Uncertainties in individual input and output terms propagate into the estimate.

=== Units & currency ===

Units are Tg N yr<sup>-1</sup> or mol N yr<sup>-1</sup>. The currency is nitrogen.

=== Sample size ===

Not applicable: synthesis approach.

=== Repositories & databases ===

== Limitations ==

The fundamental assumption is that the ocean is at steady state with respect to fixed nitrogen, which is increasingly questioned given evidence for imbalances between N fixation and denitrification on decadal timescales. Changes in N<sub>2</sub> fixation rates are difficult to constrain globally, adding uncertainty to the balance. The approach requires accurate estimates of all terms in the N budget, each of which carries its own large uncertainty.

== Example Applications & Protocols ==

=== Classic examples ===
* Battaglia & Joos (2018) ''Marine N<sub>2</sub>O emissions from nitrification and denitrification constrained by modern observations'' <ref name="Battaglia2018" />

=== Recent applications ===
* DeVries et al. (2013) ''Marine denitrification rates determined from a global 3-D inverse model'' <ref name="DeVries2013">DeVries, T., Deutsch, C., Primeau, F., Chang, B., & Devol, A. (2013). Global rates of water-column denitrification derived from nitrogen gas measurements. ''Biogeosciences'', 10(4), 2481–2496. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-2481-2013</ref>

=== Common calculations/conversions ===
* At steady state: denitrification = N fixation + riverine N input + atmospheric deposition − other sinks.

== References ==

[[Category:Main Pages|Model types]]

Mass Balance - Revision history