Processes and patterns of oceanic nutrient limitation

1 The biomass of all living organisms consists of around 30 of the 92 naturally occurring elements (Fig. 1a and Supplementary Table S1)1,2. All organisms must obtain chemical forms of these essential elements, termed nutrients, from their external environment. The key role that nutrients play in controlling upper-ocean productivity has long been recognized3–5. Research over recent decades, however, has yielded important new insights into nutrient biogeochemistry, including the importance of numerous trace metals6, co-limitation by two or more nutrients7,8, and variability in nutrient requirements related to microbial function, environment and evolution2,7,9–11. Here, we present an overview of these recent advances, with reference to key concepts of nutrient limitation, and new data syntheses. Anthropogenic forcing will increasingly influence oceanic nutrient cycling12,13. We consider the potential impact of such environmental changes on nutrient limitation, ocean biogeochemistry and the carbon cycle14.