Nitrogen Uptake Rates and f-Ratios in the Equatorial and Southern Indian Ocean

We report data on nitrate, ammonium and urea uptake rates from the Equatorial and Southern Indian Oceans. Productivity (0.81-2.23 mmol Nm^-2 d^-1) over the Equatorial Indian Ocean was low, but the f-ratio (0.13-0.45) was relatively high. In the Southern Indian Ocean total N-uptake rate varied from 1.7 to 12.3 mmol Nm^-2 d^-1; it was higher in the Antarctic coast (69°S) and lower over most of the Southern Ocean, the lowest being at 58°S. The f-ratio also showed significant spatial variation, but was higher compared to values at the Equatorial Indian Ocean. The mean f-ratio in the Southern Indian Ocean was 0.50. The nitrate-specific uptake rates and f-ratios appear to have increased significantly in the recent past relative to earlier estimates. While productivity in the Southern Ocean is comparable to that in the Equatorial Indian Ocean, higher f-ratios in the former underscore its importance in the uptake of CO₂.