Aquatic Plant Nitrogen
This is a large, confusing topic but we now have a good review
Systematics:
Michener RH, Kaufman L (1994) Stable isotope ratios as tracers
in marine food webs. In Stable Isotopes in Ecology and
Environmental Science, 2nd Edition (Michener, R. H., and Lajtha,
K., eds.). Blackwell Scientific Publications, Boston, pp. 238-282.
Just read the short section on N isotopes in marine systems (pages
248-252).
Altabet MA, et al. (1999) The nitrogen isotope biogeochemistry
of sinking particles from the margin of the Eastern North
Pacific. Deep-Sea Research Part I, 46: 655-679.
More of an applied study than a review, but it lays out the balance
between many of the important processes, and does it in our own back
yard.
Montoya JP (2007) Natural abundance of 15N in marine
planktonic ecosystems. In Stable Isotopes in Ecology and
Environmental Science, 2nd Edition (Michener, R. H., and Lajtha,
K., eds.). Blackwell Scientific Publications, Boston, pp. 176-201.
At last, a review of N isotopes in marine plankton. You can skim the
sections on animal fractionations and food web processes and
compound specific isotopes, if you wish. We’ve done most of this
already.
Further Reading
There is way too much written on this subject for you to keep up with.
Here are a few eastern Pacific centric studies.
Rau GH, et al. (1998) Suspended particulate nitrogen δ15N
versus nitrate utilization: observations in Monterey Bay, CA.
Deep Sea Research Part II, 45: 1603-1616.
A long companion paper to Rau et al. (01) on carbon isotopes. Looks
at trade off between N utilization, upwelling, and isotopes.
Voss M, Dippner JW, Montoya JP (2001) Nitrogen isotope
patterns in the oxygen-deficient waters of the Eastern Tropical
North Pacific Ocean. Deep Sea Research Part I, 48: 1095-1921.
Denitrification is a big deal in the oxygen minimum zone and it labels
shallower water during upwelling.
Rau GH, Ohman MD, Pierrot-Bults A (2003) Linking nitrogen
dynamics to climate variability off central California: a 51 year
record based on 15N/14N in CalCOFI zooplankton. Deep Sea
Research Part II, 50: 2431-2447.
Yet another long paper, looking up the food web a bit at N isotope
labeling. Interesting effects associated with el Nino.