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Diazotroph community and activity in the Southern Indian Ocean
  • +6
  • SUBHADEEP CHOWDHURY,
  • Hugo Berthelot,
  • Stéphane L'Helguen,
  • Jean-François Maguer,
  • Carolin Löscher,
  • Arvind Singh,
  • Nicolas Cassar,
  • Sophie Bonnet,
  • Mar Benavides
SUBHADEEP CHOWDHURY
Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Université de Toulon, IRD, OSU Pythéas, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Hugo Berthelot
Laboratoire des sciences de l’environnement marin, IUEM, Université de Brest-UMR 6539 CNRS/UBO/IRD,Technopole Brest-Iroise,29280 Plouzane, France
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Stéphane L'Helguen
Laboratoire des sciences de l’environnement marin, IUEM, Université de Brest-UMR 6539 CNRS/UBO/IRD,Technopole Brest-Iroise,29280 Plouzane, France
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Jean-François Maguer
Laboratoire des sciences de l’environnement marin, IUEM, Université de Brest-UMR 6539 CNRS/UBO/IRD,Technopole Brest-Iroise,29280 Plouzane, France
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Carolin Löscher
Nordcee, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense 5230, Denmark
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Arvind Singh
Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India
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Nicolas Cassar
Division of Earth and Climate Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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Sophie Bonnet
Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Université de Toulon, IRD, OSU Pythéas, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France
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Mar Benavides
Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Université de Toulon, IRD, OSU Pythéas, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France
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Abstract

Dinitrogen (N2) fixers (diazotrophs) fuel primary productivity by providing reactive nitrogen into the ocean ecosystem and promoting CO2 sequestration. N2 fixation has been extensively studied in the low latitudes of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. By comparison, the Indian Ocean remains the least explored and most enigmatic ocean basin. This is particularly the case for the Southern Indian Ocean (SIO). Here we explore N2 fixation activity and diazotroph community composition, diversity, and abundance from 20 to 60ºS in the SIO. While this region plays a key biogeochemical role serving as a link between the Atlantic and South Pacific Ocean waters, its N2 fixation potential remains unknown. Our results provide new insights into diazotrophy in a poorly studied region and expand the range of biomes where diazotrophy may be observed.