Review of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Biogeochemistry

The general subject of organic matter in the sea is treated here in a somewhat different fashion than traditionally done in geochemistry. The title of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus biogeochemistry is intended to emphasize that coverage is of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients as well as of dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus and particulate carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The measurement and processing of dissolved organic matter are discussed first, followed by sections on the “microbial loop”, sediment traps, sediment processes, and “new production”. Then, nutrient analyses and fluxes, nitrogen cycling and atmospheric input, nutrient limitation, and eutrophication are addressed. The last area of discussion is iron limitation and sequestering of carbon in the Antarctic. The last four years have seen extensive research in the general subject area of this review and considerable progress in our understanding of cycling of these primary bio‐elements.