Limiting nutrient

Oceanography

In oceanography, a prime example of a limiting factor is a limiting nutrient. Nutrient availability in freshwater and marine environments plays a critical role in determining what organisms survive and thrive. Nutrients are the building blocks of all living organisms, as they support biological activity. They are required to make proteins, DNA, membranes, organelles, and exoskeletons. The major elements that constitute >95% of organic matter mass are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus. Minor elements are iron, manganese, cobalt, zinc and copper. These minor elements are often only present in trace amounts but they are key as co-limiting factors as parts of enzymes, transporters, vitamins and amino acids. Within aquatic environments, nitrogen and phosphorus are leading contenders for most limiting nutrients.