Redfield Ratio

Question 1

What is the Redfield Ratio?

Answer 1

The ratio of chemical elements Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus in average phytoplankton biomass.
- Stoichiometry if Photosynthesis & Remineralization reactions

Question 2

Why is Redfield Ratio important?

Answer 2

• Tells us the growth rate of phytoplankton/organisms
• Redfield Ratio of water can determine what types of organisms are living in water due to element limitations in water

Question 3

What influences the C:N:P Ratio of POM and Phytoplankton?

Answer 3

Carbon: Sugar & Lipids
Nitrogen: Proteins & DNA/RNA
Phosphorus: DNA/RNA (derived from ATP), Phospholipids

Question 4

C:N:P Ratio (POM)

Answer 4

106:16:1

Question 5

How to Determine Limiting Nutrient

Answer 5

Compare ratio to 106:16:1 ratio. Whatever number is less than/does not follow ratio, it is limiting nutrient.

Question 6

N:P Ratio (Dissolved Nutrients)

Answer 6

16:1

Question 7

Why do We Care about Redfield Ratio?

Answer 7

Phytoplankton Elemental ratio sets nutritional value of food higher up food chain. (Affects what gets consumed and whatnot)

Nutrients availability controls amount of carbon that the ocean isolates.

Nutrients ratios in ocean are controlled by phytoplankton populations.

Question 8

Recent Expansions of Redfield Ratio

Answer 8

There are changes in Redfield Ratio in different parts of ocean depending on physiological needs of organisms.