Karen Casciotti

All Publications

• Shifts in the Isotopic Composition of Nitrous Oxide Between El Nino and La Nina in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Gluschankoff, N., Santoro, A. E., Buchwald, C., Casciotti, K. L. 2023; 37 (10)

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2023GB007959

  View details for Web of Science ID 001085873200001

• Mixed Archaeal Production and Nitrifier Denitrification Dominate N₂O Production in the East China Sea: Insights From Isotopocule and Hydroxylamine Analyses JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS Gu, X., Wang, L., Casciotti, K. L., Xin, Y., Liu, S., Zhang, G. 2023; 128 (8)

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2022JC019355

  View details for Web of Science ID 001062362000003

• Light, ammonium, pH, and phytoplankton competition as environmental factors controlling nitrification LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY Proctor, C., Coupel, P., Casciotti, K., Tremblay, J., Zakem, E., Arrigo, K. R., Mills, M. M. 2023

  View details for DOI 10.1002/lno.12359

  View details for Web of Science ID 000981204400001

• pyisotopomer: A Python package for obtaining intramolecular isotope ratio differences from mass spectrometric analysis of nitrous oxide isotopocules. Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM Kelly, C. L., Manning, C., Frey, C., Kaiser, J., Gluschankoff, N., Casciotti, K. L. 2023: e9513

  Abstract

  Obtaining nitrous oxide isotopocule measurements with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) involves analyzing the ion current ratios of the nitrous oxide parent ion (N2 O+ ) as well as those of the NO+ fragment ion. The data analysis requires correcting for "scrambling" in the ion source, whereby the NO+ fragment ion obtains the outer N atom from the N2 O molecule. While descriptions exist for this correction, and interlaboratory intercalibration efforts have been made, there has yet to be published a package of code for implementing isotopomer calibrations.We developed a user-friendly Python package (pyisotopomer) to determine two coefficients (γ and κ) that describe scrambling in the IRMS ion source, and then to use this calibration to obtain intramolecular isotope deltas in N2 O samples.With two appropriate reference materials, γ and κ can be determined robustly and accurately for a given IRMS. An additional third reference material is needed to define the zero-point of the delta scale. We show that IRMS scrambling behavior can vary with time, necessitating regular calibrations. Finally, we present an intercalibration between two IRMS laboratories, using pyisotopomer to calculate γ and κ, and to obtain intramolecular N2 O isotope deltas in lake water unknowns.Given these considerations, we discuss how to use pyisotopomer to obtain high-quality N2 O isotopocule data from IRMS systems, including the use of appropriate reference materials and frequency of calibration.

  View details for DOI 10.1002/rcm.9513

  View details for PubMedID 36971184

• Nitrite cycling in the primary nitrite maxima of the eastern tropical NorthPacific BIOGEOSCIENCES Travis, N. M., Kelly, C. L., Mulholland, M. R., Casciotti, K. L. 2023; 20 (2): 325-347

  View details for DOI 10.5194/bg-20-325-2023

  View details for Web of Science ID 000917676100001

• Epipelagic nitrous oxide production offsets carbon sequestration by the biological pump NATURE GEOSCIENCE Wan, X. S., Sheng, H., Dai, M., Casciotti, K. L., Church, M. J., Zou, W., Liu, L., Shen, H., Zhou, K., Ward, B. B., Kao, S. 2022

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41561-022-01090-2

  View details for Web of Science ID 000900813100002

• Kinetics of nitrous oxide production from ammonia oxidation in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY Frey, C., Sun, X., Szemberski, L., Casciotti, K. L., Garcia-Robledo, E., Jayakumar, A., Kelly, C. L., Lehmann, M. F., Ward, B. B. 2022

  View details for DOI 10.1002/lno.12283

  View details for Web of Science ID 000898171000001

• Coincident Biogenic Nitrite and pH Maxima Arise in the Upper Anoxic Layer in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Cinay, T., Dumit, D., Woosley, R. J., Boles, E. L., Kwiecinski, J., Mullen, S., Tamasi, T. J., Wolf, M. J., Kelly, C. L., Travis, N. M., Casciotti, K. L., Babbin, A. R. 2022; 36 (12)

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2022GB007470

  View details for Web of Science ID 000924445900001

• The Angola Gyre is a hotspot of dinitrogen fixation in the South Atlantic Ocean COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT Marshall, T., Granger, J., Casciotti, K. L., Dahnke, K., Emeis, K., Marconi, D., McIlvin, M. R., Noble, A. E., Saito, M. A., Sigman, D. M., Fawcett, S. E. 2022; 3 (1)

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43247-022-00474-x

  View details for Web of Science ID 000819414300002

• Identifying the Sources and Drivers of Nitrous Oxide Accumulation in the Eddy-Influenced Eastern Tropical North Pacific Oxygen-Deficient Zone GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Monreal, P. J., Kelly, C. L., Travis, N. M., Casciotti, K. L. 2022; 36 (6)

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2022GB007310

  View details for Web of Science ID 000811164200001

• Abiotic Nitrous Oxide Production From Sediments and Brine of Don Juan Pond, Wright Valley Antarctica, at Mars Analog Temperatures (-40 degrees C) GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS Schutte, C. A., Samarkin, V. A., Bowles, M. W., Peters, B., Casciotti, K. L., Madigan, M. T., Joye, S. B. 2022; 49 (3)

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2021GL094635

  View details for Web of Science ID 000759485200050

• Protocols for Assessing Transformation Rates of Nitrous Oxide in the Water Column FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE Bourbonnais, A., Frey, C., Sun, X., Bristow, L. A., Jayakumar, A., Ostrom, N. E., Casciotti, K. L., Ward, B. B. 2021; 8

  View details for DOI 10.3389/fmars.2021.611937

  View details for Web of Science ID 000647466600001

• Nitrification and Nitrous Oxide Production in the Offshore Waters of the Eastern Tropical South Pacific GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Santoro, A. E., Buchwald, C., Knapp, A. N., Berelson, W. M., Capone, D. G., Casciotti, K. L. 2021; 35 (2)

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2020GB006716

  View details for Web of Science ID 000623814300001

• Quantifying Nitrous Oxide Cycling Regimes in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific Ocean With Isotopomer Analysis Global Biogeochemical Cycles Kelly, C. L., Travis, N. M., Baya, P. A., Casciotti, K. L. 2021; 35 (2): e2020GB006637

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2020GB006637

• Microbial N2O consumption in and above marine N2O production hotspots. The ISME journal Sun, X., Jayakumar, A., Tracey, J. C., Wallace, E., Kelly, C. L., Casciotti, K. L., Ward, B. B. 2020

  Abstract

  The ocean is a net source of N2O, a potent greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting agent. However, the removal of N2O via microbial N2O consumption is poorly constrained and rate measurements have been restricted to anoxic waters. Here we expand N2O consumption measurements from anoxic zones to the sharp oxygen gradient above them, and experimentally determine kinetic parameters in both oxic and anoxic seawater for the first time. We find that the substrate affinity, O2 tolerance, and community composition of N2O-consuming microbes in oxic waters differ from those in the underlying anoxic layers. Kinetic parameters determined here are used to model in situ N2O production and consumption rates. Estimated in situ rates differ from measured rates, confirming the necessity to consider kinetics when predicting N2O cycling. Microbes from the oxic layer consume N2O under anoxic conditions at a much faster rate than microbes from anoxic zones. These experimental results are in keeping with model results which indicate that N2O consumption likely takes place above the oxygen deficient zone (ODZ). Thus, the dynamic layer with steep O2 and N2O gradients right above the ODZ is a previously ignored potential gatekeeper of N2O and should be accounted for in the marine N2O budget.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41396-020-00861-2

  View details for PubMedID 33349653

• Vertical stratification and stability of biogeochemical processes in the deep saline waters of Lake Vanda, Antarctica LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY Schutte, C. A., Samarkin, V. A., Peters, B., Madigan, M. T., Bowles, M., Morgan-Kiss, R., Casciotti, K., Joye, S. 2020; 65 (3): 569–81

  View details for DOI 10.1002/lno.11327

  View details for Web of Science ID 000518043600009

• Amperometric sensor for nanomolar nitrous oxide analysis. Analytica chimica acta Damgaard, L. R., Kelly, C. n., Casciotti, K. n., Ward, B. B., Revsbech, N. P. 2020; 1101: 135–40

  Abstract

  Nitrous oxide is an important greenhouse gas and there is a need for sensitive techniques to study its distribution in the environment at concentrations near equilibrium with the atmosphere (9.6 nM in water at 20 °C). Here we present an electrochemical sensor that can quantify N2O in the nanomolar range. The sensor principle relies on a front guard cathode placed in front of the measuring cathode. This cathode is used to periodically block the flux of N2O towards the measuring cathode, thereby creating an amplitude in the signal. This signal amplitude is unaffected by drift in the baseline current and can be read at very high resolution, resulting in a sensitivity of 2 nM N2O for newly constructed sensors. Interference from oxygen is prevented by placing the front guard cathode in oxygen-consuming electrolyte. The sensor was field tested by measuring an N2O profile to a depth of 120 m in the oxygen minimum zone of the Eastern Tropical North Pacific Ocean (ETNP) off the coast of Mexico.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.aca.2019.12.019

  View details for PubMedID 32029104

• Distribution of Concentration and Stable Isotopic Composition of N2O in the Shelf and Slope of the Northern South China Sea: Implications for Production and Emission JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS Zhang, G., Liu, S., Casciotti, K. L., Forbes, M. S., Gu, X., Ren, Y., Zheng, W. 2019; 124 (8): 6218–34

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2019JC014947

  View details for Web of Science ID 000490464200048

• Evidence for Microbial Mediated NO3- Cycling Within Floodplain Sediments During Groundwater Fluctuations FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE Bouskill, N. J., Conrad, M. E., Bill, M., Brodie, E. L., Cheng, Y., Hobson, C., Forbes, M., Casciotti, K. L., Williams, K. H. 2019; 7

  View details for DOI 10.3389/feart.2019.00189

  View details for Web of Science ID 000477986100001

• Dual nitrogen and oxygen isotope fractionation during anaerobic ammonium oxidation by anammox bacteria. The ISME journal Kobayashi, K., Makabe, A., Yano, M., Oshiki, M., Kindaichi, T., Casciotti, K. L., Okabe, S. 2019

  Abstract

  Natural abundance of stable nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) isotopes are invaluable biogeochemical tracers for assessing the N transformations in the environment. To fully exploit these tracers, the N and O isotope effects (15epsilon and 18epsilon) associated with the respective nitrogen transformation processes must be known. However, the N and O isotope effects of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), one of the major fixed N sinks and NO3- producers, are not well known. Here, we report the dual N and O isotope effects associated with anammox by three different anammox bacteria including "Ca. Scalindua japonica", a putative marine species, which were measured in continuous enrichment culture experiments. All three anammox species yielded similar N isotope effects of NH4+ oxidation to N2 (15epsilonNH4N2) ranging from 30.9 to 32.7 and inverse kinetic isotope effects of NO2- oxidation to NO3- (15epsilonNO2NO3=-45.3 to -30.1). In contrast, 15epsilonNO2N2 (NO2- reduction to N2) were significantly different among three species, which is probably because individual anammox bacteria species might possess different types of nitrite reductase. We also report the combined O isotope effects for NO2- oxidation (18ENO2NO3) by anammox bacteria. These obtained dual N and O isotopic effects could provide significant insights into the contribution of anammox bacteria to the fixed N loss and NO2- reoxidation (N recycling) in various natural environments.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41396-019-0440-x

  View details for PubMedID 31138875

• Modeling oceanic nitrate and nitrite concentrations and isotopes using a 3-D inverse N cycle model BIOGEOSCIENCES Martin, T. S., Primeau, F., Casciotti, K. L. 2019; 16 (2): 347–67

  View details for DOI 10.5194/bg-16-347-2019

  View details for Web of Science ID 000456710800003

• An N isotopic mass balance of the Eastern Tropical North Pacific oxygen deficient zone Fuchsman, C. A., Devol, A. H., Casciotti, K. L., Buchwald, C., Chang, B. X., Horak, R. A. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. 2018: 137–47

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.dsr2.2017.12.013

  View details for Web of Science ID 000454184300014

• Estimating fixed nitrogen loss and associated isotope effects using concentration and isotope measurements of NO3-, NO2-, and N-2 from the Eastern Tropical South Pacific oxygen deficient zone Peters, B., Horak, R., Devol, A., Fuchsman, C., Forbes, M., Mordy, C. W., Casciotti, K. L. PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. 2018: 121–36

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.dsr2.2018.02.011

  View details for Web of Science ID 000454184300013

• The GEOTRACES Intermediate Data Product 2017 CHEMICAL GEOLOGY Schlitzer, R., Anderson, R. F., Dodas, E., Lohan, M., Geibere, W., Tagliabue, A., Bowie, A., Jeandel, C., Maldonado, M. T., Landing, W. M., Cockwell, D., Abadie, C., Abouchami, W., Achterberg, E. P., Agather, A., Aguliar-Islas, A., van Aken, H. M., Andersen, M., Archer, C., Auro, M., de Baar, H. J., Baars, O., Baker, A. R., Bakker, K., Basak, C., Baskaran, M., Bates, N. R., Bauch, D., van Beek, P., Behrens, M. K., Black, E., Bluhm, K., Bopp, L., Bouman, H., Bowman, K., Bown, J., Boyd, P., Boye, M., Boyle, E. A., Branellec, P., Bridgestock, L., Brissebrat, G., Browning, T., Bruland, K. W., Brumsack, H., Brzezinski, M., Buck, C. S., Buck, K. N., Buesseler, K., Bull, A., Butler, E., Cai, P., Camara Mor, P., Cardinal, D., Carlson, C., Carrasco, G., Casacuberta, N., Casciotti, K. L., Castrillejo, M., Chamizo, E., Chance, R., Charette, M. A., Chaves, J. E., Cheng, H., Chever, F., Christl, M., Church, T. M., Closset, I., Colman, A., Conway, T. M., Cossa, D., Croot, P., Cullen, J. T., Cutter, G. A., Daniels, C., Dehairs, F., Deng, F., Dieu, H., Duggan, B., Dulaquais, G., Dumousseaud, C., Echegoyen-Sanz, Y., Edwards, R., Ellwood, M., Fahrbach, E., Fitzsimmons, J. N., Flegal, A., Fleisher, M. Q., van de Flierdt, T., Frank, M., Friedrich, J., Fripiat, F., Froellje, H., Galer, S. G., Gamo, T., Ganeshram, R. S., Garcia-Orellana, J., Garcia-Solsona, E., Gault-Ringold, M., George, E., Gerringa, L. A., Gilbert, M., Godoy, J. M., Goldstein, S. L., Gonzalez, S. R., Grissom, K., Hammerschmidt, C., Hartman, A., Hassler, C. S., Hathorne, E. C., Hatta, M., Hawco, N., Hayes, C. T., Heimburger, L., Helgoe, J., Heller, M., Henderson, G. M., Henderson, P. B., van Heuven, S., Ho, P., Horner, T. J., Hsieh, Y., Huang, K., Humphreys, M. P., Isshiki, K., Jacquot, J. E., Janssen, D. J., Jenkins, W. J., John, S., Jones, E. M., Jones, J. L., Kadko, D. C., Kayser, R., Kenna, T. C., Khondoker, R., Kim, T., Kipp, L., Klar, J. K., Klunder, M., Kretschmer, S., Kumamoto, Y., Laan, P., Labatut, M., Lacan, F., Lam, P. J., Lambelet, M., Lamborg, C. H., Le Moigne, F. C., Le Roy, E., Lechtenfeld, O. J., Lee, J., Lherminier, P., Little, S., Lopez-Lora, M., Lu, Y., Masque, P., Mawji, E., Mcclain, C. R., Measures, C., Mehic, S., Barraqueta, J., van der Merwe, P., Middag, R., Mieruch, S., Milne, A., Minami, T., Moffett, J. W., Moncoiffe, G., Moore, W. S., Morris, P. J., Morton, P. L., Nakaguchi, Y., Nakayama, N., Niedermiller, J., Nishioka, J., Nishiuchi, A., Noble, A., Obata, H., Ober, S., Ohnemus, D. C., van Ooijen, J., O'Sullivan, J., Owens, S., Pahnke, K., Paul, M., Pavia, F., Pena, L. D., Petersh, B., Planchon, F., Planquette, H., Pradoux, C., Puigcorbe, V., Quay, P., Queroue, F., Radic, A., Rauschenberg, S., Rehkamper, M., Rember, R., Remenyi, T., Resing, J. A., Rickli, J., Rigaud, S., Rijkenberg, M. A., Rintoul, S., Robinson, L. F., Roca-Marti, M., Rodellas, V., Roeske, T., Rolison, J. M., Rosenberg, M., Roshan, S., van der Loaff, M., Ryabenko, E., Saito, M. A., Salt, L. A., Sanial, V., Sarthou, G., Schallenberg, C., Schauer, U., Scher, H., Schlosser, C., Schnetger, B., Scott, P., Sedwick, P. N., Semiletov, I., Shelley, R., Sherrell, R. M., Shiller, A. M., Sigman, D. M., Singh, S., Slagter, H. A., Slater, E., Smethie, W. M., Snaith, H., Sohrin, Y., Sohst, B., Sonke, J. E., Speich, S., Steinfeldt, R., Stewart, G., Stichel, T., Stirling, C. H., Stutsman, J., Swarr, G. J., Swift, J. H., Thomas, A., Thorne, K., Till, C. P., Till, R., Townsend, A. T., Townsend, E., Tuerena, R., Twining, B. S., Vance, D., Velazquez, S., Venchiarutti, C., Villa-Alfageme, M., Vivancos, S. M., Voelker, A. L., Wake, B., Warner, M. J., Watson, R., van Weerlee, E., Weigand, M., Weinstein, Y., Weiss, D., Wisotzki, A., Woodward, E. S., Wu, J., Wu, Y., Wuttig, K., Wyatt, N., Xiang, Y., Xie, R. C., Xue, Z., Yoshikawa, H., Zhang, J., Zhang, P., Zhao, Y., Zheng, L., Zheng, X., Zieringer, M., Zimmer, L. A., Ziveri, P., Zunino, P., Zurbrick, C. 2018; 493: 210–23

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.05.040

  View details for Web of Science ID 000439574000017

• Preliminary assessment of stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of USGS51 and USGS52 nitrous oxide reference gases and perspectives on calibration needs RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY Ostrom, N. E., Gandhi, H., Coplen, T. B., Toyoda, S., Bohlke, J. K., Brand, W. A., Casciotti, K. L., Dyckmans, J., Giesemann, A., Mohn, J., Well, R., Yu, L., Yoshida, N. 2018; 32 (15): 1207–14

  Abstract

  Despite a long history and growing interest in isotopic analyses of N2 O, there is a lack of isotopically characterized N2 O isotopic reference materials (standards) to enable normalization and reporting of isotope-delta values. Here we report the isotopic characterization of two pure N2 O gas reference materials, USGS51 and USGS52, which are now available for laboratory calibration (https://isotopes.usgs.gov/lab/referencematerials.html).A total of 400 sealed borosilicate glass tubes of each N2 O reference gas were prepared from a single gas filling of a high vacuum line. We demonstrated isotopic homogeneity via dual-inlet isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. Isotopic analyses of these reference materials were obtained from eight laboratories to evaluate interlaboratory variation and provide preliminary isotopic characterization of their δ15 N, δ18 O, δ15 Nα , δ15 Nβ and site preference (SP ) values.The isotopic homogeneity of both USGS51 and USGS52 was demonstrated by one-sigma standard deviations associated with the determinations of their δ15 N, δ18 O, δ15 Nα , δ15 Nβ and SP values of 0.12 mUr or better. The one-sigma standard deviations of SP measurements of USGS51 and USGS52 reported by eight laboratories participating in the interlaboratory comparison were 1.27 and 1.78 mUr, respectively.The agreement of isotope-delta values obtained in the interlaboratory comparison was not sufficient to provide reliable accurate isotope measurement values for USGS51 and USGS52. We propose that provisional values for the isotopic composition of USGS51 and USGS52 determined at the Tokyo Institute of Technology can be adopted for normalizing and reporting sample data until further refinements are achieved through additional calibration efforts.

  View details for PubMedID 29729051

• Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria are the primary N2O producers in an ammonia-oxidizing archaea dominated alkaline agricultural soil ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY Meinhardt, K. A., Stopnisek, N., Pannu, M. W., Strand, S. E., Fransen, S. C., Casciotti, K. L., Stahl, D. A. 2018; 20 (6): 2195–2206

  Abstract

  Most agricultural N2 O emissions are a consequence of microbial transformations of nitrogen (N) fertilizer, and mitigating increases in N2 O emission will depend on identifying microbial sources and variables influencing their activities. Here, using controlled microcosm and field studies, we found that synthetic N addition in any tested amount stimulated the production of N2 O from ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), but not archaea (AOA), from a bioenergy crop soil. The activities of these two populations were differentiated by N treatments, with abundance and activity of AOB increasing as nitrate and N2 O production increased. Moreover, as N2 O production increased, the isotopic composition of N2 O was consistent with an AOB source. Relative N2 O contributions by both populations were quantified using selective inhibitors and varying N availability. Complementary field analyses confirmed a positive correlation between N2 O flux and AOB abundance with N application. Collectively, our data indicate that AOB are the major N2 O producers, even with low N addition, and that better-metered N application, complemented by selective inhibitors, could reduce projected N2 O emissions from agricultural soils.

  View details for PubMedID 29687586

• Nitrogen and oxygen isotope measurements of nitrate along the US GEOTRACES Eastern Pacific Zonal Transect (GP16) yield insights into nitrate supply, remineralization, and water mass transport Peters, B. D., Lam, P. J., Casciotti, K. L. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. 2018: 137–50

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.marchem.2017.09.009

  View details for Web of Science ID 000430901500011

• Water mass analysis of the 2013 US GEOTRACES eastern Pacific zonal transect (GP16) Peters, B. D., Jenkins, W. J., Swift, J. H., German, C. R., Moffett, J. W., Cutter, G. A., Brzezinski, M. A., Casciotti, K. L. ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. 2018: 6–19

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.marchem.2017.09.007

  View details for Web of Science ID 000430901500002

• Tropical Dominance of N-2 Fixation in the North Atlantic Ocean GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Marconi, D., Sigman, D. M., Casciotti, K. L., Campbell, E. C., Weigand, M., Fawcett, S. E., Knapp, A. N., Rafter, P. A., Ward, B. B., Haug, G. H. 2017; 31 (10): 1608–23

  View details for DOI 10.1002/2016GB005613

  View details for Web of Science ID 000416625200011

• Paired N and O isotopic analysis of nitrate and nitrite in the Arabian Sea oxygen deficient zone DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS Martin, T. S., Casciotti, K. L. 2017; 121: 121-131

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.dsr.2017.01.002

  View details for Web of Science ID 000397693600010

• Multiple metabolisms constrain the anaerobic nitrite budget in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Babbin, A. R., Peters, B. D., Mordy, C. W., Widner, B., Casciotti, K. L., Ward, B. B. 2017; 31 (2): 258-271

  View details for DOI 10.1002/2016GB005407

  View details for Web of Science ID 000396238500004

• Controls of nitrogen cycling evaluated along a well-characterized climate gradient. Ecology von Sperber, C., Chadwick, O. A., Casciotti, K. L., Peay, K. G., Francis, C. A., Kim, A. E., Vitousek, P. M. 2017

  Abstract

  The supply of nitrogen (N) constrains primary productivity in many ecosystems, raising the question "what controls the availability and cycling of N"? As a step toward answering this question, we evaluated N cycling processes and aspects of their regulation on a climate gradient on Kohala Volcano, Hawaii, USA. The gradient extends from sites receiving <300 mm/yr of rain to those receiving >3,000 mm/yr, and the pedology and dynamics of rock-derived nutrients in soils on the gradient are well understood. In particular, there is a soil process domain at intermediate rainfall within which ongoing weathering and biological uplift have enriched total and available pools of rock-derived nutrients substantially; sites at higher rainfall than this domain are acid and infertile as a consequence of depletion of rock-derived nutrients, while sites at lower rainfall are unproductive and subject to wind erosion. We found elevated rates of potential net N mineralization in the domain where rock-derived nutrients are enriched. Higher-rainfall sites have low rates of potential net N mineralization and high rates of microbial N immobilization, despite relatively high rates of gross N mineralization. Lower-rainfall sites have moderately low potential net N mineralization, relatively low rates of gross N mineralization, and rates of microbial N immobilization sufficient to sequester almost all the mineral N produced. Bulk soil δ(15) N also varied along the gradient, from +4‰ at high rainfall sites to +14‰ at low rainfall sites, indicating differences in the sources and dynamics of soil N. Our analysis shows that there is a strong association between N cycling and soil process domains that are defined using soil characteristics independent of N along this gradient, and that short-term controls of N cycling can be understood in terms of the supply of and demand for N.

  View details for DOI 10.1002/ecy.1751

  View details for PubMedID 28130777

• Hydrothermal impacts on trace element and isotope ocean biogeochemistry PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES German, C. R., Casciotti, K. A., Dutay, J., Heimburger, L. E., Jenkins, W. J., Measures, C. I., Mills, R. A., Obata, H., Schlitzer, R., Tagliabue, A., Turner, D. R., Whitby, H. 2016; 374 (2081)

  View details for DOI 10.1098/rsta.2016.0035

  View details for Web of Science ID 000391139900015

• Nitrite isotopes as tracers of marine N cycle processes. Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences Casciotti, K. L. 2016; 374 (2081)

  Abstract

  Nitrite (NO2-) is a key intermediate in the marine nitrogen (N) cycle. It is produced and consumed throughout the ocean by the dominant processes driving the distribution, availability and speciation of N. However, the accumulation of nitrite is typically confined to depths near the base of the sunlit euphotic zone and in oxygen-deficient zones. These features are known as the primary and secondary nitrite maximum (PNM and SNM), respectively. The processes controlling nitrite accumulation in these features are not fully understood, but are thought to depend on the microbial community composition and its response to environmental conditions. A variety of approaches have been applied to understanding these features since their discovery, with the stable N and oxygen (O) isotope measurements of nitrite being added to this toolkit most recently. Large variations in nitrite N isotope ratios (15N/14N) and dramatic depletions in 15N contrast with more consistent nitrite O isotope ratios (18O/16O) in the SNM. These signals provide unique information about the mechanisms of nitrite consumption in the SNM. By contrast, nitrite in the PNM shows less variation in 15N/14N, but variations in 18O/16O that provide insight into the mechanisms and rates of N cycling there. This review presents a synthesis of nitrite isotope measurements in the marine environment, highlighting the insights that have been gained from these measurements.This article is part of the themed issue 'Biological and climatic impacts of ocean trace element chemistry'.

  View details for DOI 10.1098/rsta.2015.0295

  View details for PubMedID 29035260

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC5069530

• Nitrite isotopes as tracers of marine N cycle processes PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES Casciotti, K. L. 2016; 374 (2081)

  View details for DOI 10.1098/rsta.2015.0295

  View details for Web of Science ID 000391139900010

• Vertical modeling of the nitrogen cycle in the eastern tropical South Pacific oxygen deficient zone using high-resolution concentration and isotope measurements GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Peters, B. D., Babbin, A. R., Lettmann, K. A., Mordy, C. W., Ulloa, O., Ward, B. B., Casciotti, K. L. 2016; 30 (11): 1661-1681

  View details for DOI 10.1002/2016GB005415

  View details for Web of Science ID 000390812300006

• Differential N2O dynamics in two oxygen-deficient lake basins revealed by stable isotope and isotopomer distributions LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY Wenk, C. B., Frame, C. H., Koba, K., Casciotti, K. L., Veronesi, M., Niemann, H., Schubert, C. J., Yoshida, N., Toyoda, S., Makabe, A., Zopfi, J., Lehmann, M. F. 2016; 61 (5): 1735-1749

  View details for DOI 10.1002/lno.10329

  View details for Web of Science ID 000383621800014

• Variable Nitrification Rates Across Environmental Gradients in Turbid, Nutrient-Rich Estuary Waters of San Francisco Bay ESTUARIES AND COASTS Damashek, J., Casciotti, K. L., Francis, C. A. 2016; 39 (4): 1050-1071

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s12237-016-0071-7

  View details for Web of Science ID 000377798600012

• Nitrogen and oxygen isotopic fractionation during microbial nitrite reduction LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY Martin, T. S., Casciotti, K. L. 2016; 61 (3): 1134-1143

  View details for DOI 10.1002/lno.10278

  View details for Web of Science ID 000375748400023

• Low rates of nitrogen fixation in eastern tropical South Pacific surface waters PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Knapp, A. N., Casciotti, K. L., Berelson, W. M., Prokopenko, M. G., Capone, D. G. 2016; 113 (16): 4398-4403

  Abstract

  An extensive region of the Eastern Tropical South Pacific (ETSP) Ocean has surface waters that are nitrate-poor yet phosphate-rich. It has been proposed that this distribution of surface nutrients provides a geochemical niche favorable for N2fixation, the primary source of nitrogen to the ocean. Here, we present results from two cruises to the ETSP where rates of N2fixation and its contribution to export production were determined with a suite of geochemical and biological measurements. N2fixation was only detectable using nitrogen isotopic mass balances at two of six stations, and rates ranged from 0 to 23 µmol N m(-2)d(-1)based on sediment trap fluxes. Whereas the fractional importance of N2fixation did not change, the N2-fixation rates at these two stations were several-fold higher when scaled to other productivity metrics. Regardless of the choice of productivity metric these N2-fixation rates are low compared with other oligotrophic locations, and the nitrogen isotope budgets indicate that N2fixation supports no more than 20% of export production regionally. Although euphotic zone-integrated short-term N2-fixation rates were higher, up to 100 µmol N m(-2)d(-1), and detected N2fixation at all six stations, studies of nitrogenase gene abundance and expression from the same cruises align with the geochemical data and together indicate that N2fixation is a minor source of new nitrogen to surface waters of the ETSP. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that, despite a relative abundance of phosphate, iron may limit N2fixation in the ETSP.

  View details for DOI 10.1073/pnas.1515641113

  View details for Web of Science ID 000374393800052

  View details for PubMedID 26976587

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC4843426

• Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotopic Studies of the Marine Nitrogen Cycle. Annual review of marine science Casciotti, K. L. 2016; 8: 379-407

  Abstract

  The marine nitrogen cycle is a complex web of microbially mediated reactions that control the inventory, distribution, and speciation of nitrogen in the marine environment. Because nitrogen is a major nutrient that is required by all life, its availability can control biological productivity and ecosystem structure in both surface and deep-ocean communities. Stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrate and nitrite have provided new insights into the rates and distributions of marine nitrogen cycle processes, especially when analyzed in combination with numerical simulations of ocean circulation and biogeochemistry. This review highlights the insights gained from dual-isotope studies applied at regional to global scales and their incorporation into oceanic biogeochemical models. These studies represent significant new advances in the use of isotopic measurements to understand the modern nitrogen cycle, with implications for the study of past ocean productivity, oxygenation, and nutrient status.

  View details for DOI 10.1146/annurev-marine-010213-135052

  View details for PubMedID 26747521

• Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotopic Studies of the Marine Nitrogen Cycle ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL 8 Casciotti, K. L. 2016; 8: 379-407

  View details for DOI 10.1146/annurev-marine-010213-135052

  View details for Web of Science ID 000368369200017

• Nitrate isotope distributions on the US GEOTRACES North Atlantic cross-basin section: Signals of polar nitrate sources and low latitude nitrogen cycling MARINE CHEMISTRY Marconi, D., Weigand, M. A., Rafter, P. A., McIlvin, M. R., Forbes, M., Casciotti, K. L., Sigman, D. M. 2015; 177: 143-156

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.marchem.2015.06.007

  View details for Web of Science ID 000366788300013

• Nitrogen cycling in the secondary nitrite maximum of the eastern tropical North Pacific off Costa Rica GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Buchwald, C., Santoro, A. E., Stanley, R. H., Casciotti, K. L. 2015; 29 (12): 2061-2081

  View details for DOI 10.1002/2015GB005187

  View details for Web of Science ID 000368908200004

• Intense nitrogen cycling in permeable intertidal sediment revealed by a nitrous oxide hot spot GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Schutte, C. A., Joye, S. B., Wilson, A. M., Evans, T., Moore, W. S., Casciotti, K. 2015; 29 (10): 1584-1598

  View details for DOI 10.1002/2014GB005052

  View details for Web of Science ID 000364876500002

• Aspects of the marine nitrogen cycle of the Chukchi Sea shelf and Canada Basin DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART II-TOPICAL STUDIES IN OCEANOGRAPHY Brown, Z. W., Casciotti, K. L., Pickart, R. S., Swift, J. H., Arrigo, K. R. 2015; 118: 73-87

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.dsr2.2015.02.009

  View details for Web of Science ID 000360255300007

• Stable Isotopes and Iron Oxide Mineral Products as Markers of Chemodenitrification ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Jones, L. C., Peters, B., Pacheco, J. S., Casciotti, K. L., Fendorf, S. 2015; 49 (6): 3444-3452

  Abstract

  When oxygen is limiting in soils and sediments, microorganisms utilize nitrate (NO3(-)) in respiration-through the process of denitrification-leading to the production of dinitrogen (N2) gas and trace amounts of nitrous (N2O) and nitric (NO) oxides. A chemical pathway involving reaction of ferrous iron (Fe(2+)) with nitrite (NO2(-)), an intermediate in the denitrification pathway, can also result in production of N2O. We examine the chemical reduction of NO2(-) by Fe(II)-chemodenitrification-in anoxic batch incubations at neutral pH. Aqueous Fe(2+) and NO2(-) reacted rapidly, producing N2O and generating Fe(III) (hydr)oxide mineral products. Lepidocrotite and goethite, identified by synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, were produced from initially aqueous reactants, with two-line ferrihydrite increasing in abundance later in the reaction sequence. Based on the similarity of apparent rate constants with different mineral catalysts, we propose that the chemodenitrification rate is insensitive to the type of Fe(III) (hydr)oxide. With stable isotope measurements, we reveal a narrow range of isotopic fractionation during NO2(-) reduction to N2O. The location of N isotopes in the linear N2O molecule, known as site preference, was also constrained to a signature range. The coexistence of Fe(III) (hydr)oxide, characteristic (15)N and (18)O fractionation, and N2O site preference may be used in combination to qualitatively distinguish between abiotic and biogenically emitted N2O-a finding important for determining N2O sources in natural systems.

  View details for DOI 10.1021/es504862x

  View details for Web of Science ID 000351324400022

  View details for PubMedID 25683572

• N2O production in the eastern South Atlantic: Analysis of N2O stable isotopic and concentration data GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES Frame, C. H., Deal, E., Nevison, C. D., Casciotti, K. L. 2014; 28 (11): 1262-1278

  View details for DOI 10.1002/2013GB004790

  View details for Web of Science ID 000346594100007

• Interlaboratory assessment of nitrous oxide isotopomer analysis by isotope ratio mass spectrometry and laser spectroscopy: current status and perspectives RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY Mohn, J., Wolf, B., Toyoda, S., Lin, C., Liang, M., Brueggemann, N., Wissel, H., Steiker, A. E., Dyckmans, J., Szwec, L., Ostrom, N. E., Casciotti, K. L., Forbes, M., Giesemann, A., Well, R., Doucett, R. R., Yarnes, C. T., Ridley, A. R., Kaiser, J., Yoshida, N. 2014; 28 (18): 1995-2007

  Abstract

  In recent years, research and applications of the N2O site-specific nitrogen isotope composition have advanced, reflecting awareness of the contribution of N2O to the anthropogenic greenhouse effect, and leading to significant progress in instrument development. Further dissemination of N2O isotopomer analysis, however, is hampered by a lack of internationally agreed gaseous N2O reference materials and an uncertain compatibility of different laboratories and analytical techniques.In a first comparison approach, eleven laboratories were each provided with N2O at tropospheric mole fractions (target gas T) and two reference gases (REF1 and REF2). The laboratories analysed all gases, applying their specific analytical routines. Compatibility of laboratories was assessed based on N2O isotopocule data for T, REF1 and REF2. Results for T were then standardised using REF1 and REF2 to evaluate the potential of N2O reference materials for improving compatibility between laboratories.Compatibility between laboratories depended on the analytical technique: isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) results showed better compatibility for δ(15)N values, while the performance of laser spectroscopy was superior with respect to N2O site preference. This comparison, however, is restricted by the small number of participating laboratories applying laser spectroscopy. Offset and two-point calibration correction of the N2O isotopomer data significantly improved the consistency of position-dependent nitrogen isotope data while the effect on δ(15)N values was only minor.The study reveals that for future research on N2O isotopocules, standardisation against N2O reference material is essential to improve interlaboratory compatibility. For atmospheric monitoring activities, we suggest N2O in whole air as a unifying scale anchor.

  View details for DOI 10.1002/rcm.6982

  View details for Web of Science ID 000340452600006

  View details for PubMedID 25132300

• Placing an upper limit on cryptic marine sulphur cycling NATURE Johnston, D. T., Gill, B. C., Masterson, A., Beirne, E., Casciotti, K. L., Knapp, A. N., Berelson, W. 2014; 513 (7519): 530-?

  View details for DOI 10.1038/nature13698

  View details for Web of Science ID 000342075800036

• Differential contributions of archaeal ammonia oxidizer ecotypes to nitrification in coastal surface waters. ISME journal Smith, J. M., Casciotti, K. L., Chavez, F. P., Francis, C. A. 2014; 8 (8): 1704-1714

  Abstract

  The occurrence of nitrification in the oceanic water column has implications extending from local effects on the structure and activity of phytoplankton communities to broader impacts on the speciation of nitrogenous nutrients and production of nitrous oxide. The ammonia-oxidizing archaea, responsible for carrying out the majority of nitrification in the sea, are present in the marine water column as two taxonomically distinct groups. Water column group A (WCA) organisms are detected at all depths, whereas Water column group B (WCB) are present primarily below the photic zone. An open question in marine biogeochemistry is whether the taxonomic definition of WCA and WCB organisms and their observed distributions correspond to distinct ecological and biogeochemical niches. We used the natural gradients in physicochemical and biological properties that upwelling establishes in surface waters to study their roles in nitrification, and how their activity-ascertained from quantification of ecotype-specific ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes and transcripts-varies in response to environmental fluctuations. Our results indicate a role for both ecotypes in nitrification in Monterey Bay surface waters. However, their respective contributions vary, due to their different sensitivities to surface water conditions. WCA organisms exhibited a remarkably consistent level of activity and their contribution to nitrification appears to be related to community size. WCB activity was less consistent and primarily constrained to colder, high nutrient and low chlorophyll waters. Overall, the results of our characterization yielded a strong, potentially predictive, relationship between archaeal amoA gene abundance and the rate of nitrification.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/ismej.2014.11

  View details for PubMedID 24553472

• Stable isotope analyses of NO2-, NO3-, and N2O in the hypersaline ponds and soils of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA Peters, B., Casciotti, K. L., Samarkin, V. A., Madigan, M. T., Schutte, C. A., Joye, S. B. 2014; 135: 87-101

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.gca.2014.03.024

  View details for Web of Science ID 000335656900005

• Stable isotopic analyses of NO2-, NO3-, and N2O in hypersaline ponds and soils of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Peters, B., Casciotti, K. L., Samarkin, V. A., Madigan, M. T., Schutte, C. A., Joye, S. B. 2014
• Differential contributions of archaeal ammonia oxidizer ecotypes to nitrification in coastal surface waters ISME Journal Smith, J. M., Casciotti, K. L., Chavez, F. P., Francis, C. A. 2014
• Aspects of the marine nitrogen cycle on the Chukchi Sea shelf and Canada Basin Deep Sea Research II Browh, Z. W., Casciotti, K. L., Pickart, R. L., Swift, J. H., Arrigo, K. R. 2014
• Implications of nitrate and nitrite isotopic measurements for the mechanisms of nitrogen cycling in the Peru oxygen deficient zone DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS Casciotti, K. L., Buchwald, C., McIlvin, M. 2013; 80: 78-93

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.dsr.2013.05.017

  View details for Web of Science ID 000324227700009

• Stable Isotopes as Tracers of Anthropogenic Nitrogen Sources, Deposition, and Impacts ELEMENTS Hastings, M. G., Casciotti, K. L., Elliott, E. M. 2013; 9 (5): 339-344

  View details for DOI 10.2113/gselements.9.5.339

  View details for Web of Science ID 000326488500003

• Excess nitrate loads to coastal waters reduces nitrate removal efficiency: mechanism and implications for coastal eutrophication ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY Lunau, M., Voss, M., Erickson, M., Dziallas, C., Casciotti, K., Ducklow, H. 2013; 15 (5): 1492-1504

  Abstract

  Terrestrial ecosystems are becoming increasingly nitrogen-saturated due to anthropogenic activities, such as agricultural loading with artificial fertilizer. Thus, more and more reactive nitrogen is entering streams and rivers, primarily as nitrate, where it is eventually transported towards the coastal zone. The assimilation of nitrate by coastal phytoplankton and its conversion into organic matter is an important feature of the aquatic nitrogen cycle. Dissolved reactive nitrogen is converted into a particulate form, which eventually undergoes nitrogen removal via microbial denitrification. High and unbalanced nitrate loads to the coastal zone may alter planktonic nitrate assimilation efficiency, due to the narrow stochiometric requirements for nutrients typically shown by these organisms. This implies a cascade of changes for the cycling of other elements, such as carbon, with unknown consequences at the ecosystem level. Here, we report that the nitrate removal efficiency (NRE) of a natural phytoplankton community decreased under high, unbalanced nitrate loads, due to the enhanced recycling of organic nitrogen and subsequent production and microbial transformation of excess ammonium. NRE was inversely correlated with the amount of nitrate present, and mechanistically controlled by dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and organic carbon (Corg) availability. These findings have important implications for the management of nutrient runoff to coastal zones.

  View details for DOI 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2012.02773.x

  View details for Web of Science ID 000318041800019

  View details for PubMedID 22568592

• Isotopic ratios of nitrite as tracers of the sources and age of oceanic nitrite NATURE GEOSCIENCE Buchwald, C., Casciotti, K. L. 2013; 6 (4): 308-313

  View details for DOI 10.1038/NGEO1745

  View details for Web of Science ID 000316946500021

• Measurements of nitrite production in and around the primary nitrite maximum in the central California Current BIOGEOSCIENCES Santoro, A. E., Sakamoto, C. M., Smith, J. M., Plant, J. N., Gehman, A. L., Worden, A. Z., Johnson, K. S., Francis, C. A., Casciotti, K. L. 2013; 10 (11): 7395-7410

  View details for DOI 10.5194/bg-10-7395-2013

  View details for Web of Science ID 000327814700042

• Insights on the marine microbial nitrogen cycle from isotopic approaches to nitrification. Frontiers in microbiology Casciotti, K. L., Buchwald, C. 2012; 3: 356-?

  Abstract

  The microbial nitrogen (N) cycle involves a variety of redox processes that control the availability and speciation of N in the environment and that are involved with the production of nitrous oxide (N(2)O), a climatically important greenhouse gas. Isotopic measurements of ammonium (NH(+) (4)), nitrite (NO(-) (2)), nitrate (NO(-) (3)), and N(2)O can now be used to track the cycling of these compounds and to infer their sources and sinks, which has lead to new and exciting discoveries. For example, dual isotope measurements of NO(-) (3) and NO(-) (2) have shown that there is NO(-) (3) regeneration in the ocean's euphotic zone, as well as in and around oxygen deficient zones (ODZs), indicating that nitrification may play more roles in the ocean's N cycle than generally thought. Likewise, the inverse isotope effect associated with NO(-) (2) oxidation yields unique information about the role of this process in NO(-) (2) cycling in the primary and secondary NO(-) (2) maxima. Finally, isotopic measurements of N(2)O in the ocean are indicative of an important role for nitrification in its production. These interpretations rely on knowledge of the isotope effects for the underlying microbial processes, in particular ammonia oxidation and nitrite oxidation. Here we review the isotope effects involved with the nitrification process and the insights provided by this information, then provide a prospectus for future work in this area.

  View details for DOI 10.3389/fmicb.2012.00356

  View details for PubMedID 23091468

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC3469838

• Insights on the marine microbial nitrogen cycle from isotopic approaches to nitrification FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY Casciotti, K. L., Buchwald, C. 2012; 3

  View details for DOI 10.3389/fmicb.2012.00356

  View details for Web of Science ID 000208863600358

• Potential importance of physiologically diverse foraminifera in sedimentary nitrate storage and respiration Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences Bernhard, J. M., Casciotti, K. L., McIlvin, M. R., Beaudoin , D. J., Visscher, P. T., Edgcomb, V. P. 2012; 117

  View details for DOI 10.1029/2012JG001949

• Distribution of anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in a subterranean estuary Marine Chemistry Saenz, J. P., Hopmans, E. C., Rogers, D., Henderson, P., Charette, M. A., Casciotti, K. L., Shouten, S., Sinninghe-Damste, J. S., Eglinton, T. I. 2012; 136-137: 7-13
• Oxygen isotopic composition of nitrate and nitrite produced by nitrifying co-cultures and natural marine assemblages Limnology and Oceanography Buchwald, C., Santoro, A., McIlvin, M., Casciotti, K. L. 2012; 57: 1361-1375
• Denitrification likely catalyzed by endobionts in an allogromiid foraminifer Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology (ISME Journal) Bernhard, J. M., Edgcomb, V. P., Casciotti, K. L., McIlvin, M. R., Beaudoin, D. J. 2012; 6 (5): 951-960
• Basin-scale input of cobalt, iron, and manganese from the Benguela-Angola front to the South Atlantic Ocean Limnology and Oceanography Noble, A. E., Lamborg, C. H., Ohnemus, D. C., Lam, P. J., Goepfert, T. J., Measures, C. I., Frame, C. H., Casciotti, K. L., DiTullio, G. R., Jennings, J., Saito, K. A. 2012; 57 (4): 989-1010
• Isotopic Signature of N2O Produced by Marine Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea SCIENCE Santoro, A. E., Buchwald, C., McIlvin, M. R., Casciotti, K. L. 2011; 333 (6047): 1282-1285

  Abstract

  The ocean is an important global source of nitrous oxide (N(2)O), a greenhouse gas that contributes to stratospheric ozone destruction. Bacterial nitrification and denitrification are thought to be the primary sources of marine N(2)O, but the isotopic signatures of N(2)O produced by these processes are not consistent with the marine contribution to the global N(2)O budget. Based on enrichment cultures, we report that archaeal ammonia oxidation also produces N(2)O. Natural-abundance stable isotope measurements indicate that the produced N(2)O had bulk δ(15)N and δ(18)O values higher than observed for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria but similar to the δ(15)N and δ(18)O values attributed to the oceanic N(2)O source to the atmosphere. Our results suggest that ammonia-oxidizing archaea may be largely responsible for the oceanic N(2)O source.

  View details for DOI 10.1126/science.1208239

  View details for Web of Science ID 000294406400052

  View details for PubMedID 21798895

• Technical Updates to the Bacterial Method for Nitrate Isotopic Analyses ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY McIlvin, M. R., Casciotti, K. L. 2011; 83 (5): 1850-1856

  Abstract

  The bacterial conversion of aqueous nitrate (NO(3)(-)) to nitrous oxide (N(2)O) for isotopic analysis has found widespread use since its introduction (Sigman, D. M.; Casciotti, K. L.; Andreani, M.; Galanter, M.; Böhlke, J. K. Anal. Chem.2001, 73, 4145-4153; Casciotti, K. L.; Sigman, D. M.; Galanter Hastings, M.; Böhlke, J. K.; Hilkert, A. Anal. Chem.2002, 74, 4905-4912). The bacterial strain Pseudomonas aureofaciens (ATTC no. 13985) was shown to convert NO(3)(-) to N(2)O while retaining both N and O isotopic signatures, and automation of the isotopic analysis of N(2)O greatly increased the throughput of the method (Casciotti, K. L.; Sigman, D. M.; Galanter Hastings, M.; Böhlke, J. K.; Hilkert, A. Anal. Chem.2002, 74, 4905-4912). Continued development of the denitrifier method has led to increased precision and throughput of NO(3)(-) isotopic analysis. Presented here are several recent procedural modifications and the demonstration of their effectiveness.

  View details for DOI 10.1021/ac1028984

  View details for Web of Science ID 000287685800052

  View details for PubMedID 21302935

• Enrichment and characterization of ammonia-oxidizing archaea from the open ocean: phylogeny, physiology, and stable isotope fractionation Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology (ISME Journal) Santoro, A. E., Casciotti, K. L. 2011; 5: 1796-1808
• Nitrous oxide dynamics in a braided river system, New Zealand Journal of Environmental Quality Clough, T. J., Buckthought, L. E., Casciotti, K. L., Keliher, F. M., Jones, P. K. 2011; 40: 1532-1541
• Activity, abundance and diversity of nitrifying archaea and bacteria in the central California Current ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY Santoro, A. E., Casciotti, K. L., Francis, C. A. 2010; 12 (7): 1989-2006

  Abstract

  A combination of stable isotope and molecular biological approaches was used to determine the activity, abundance and diversity of nitrifying organisms in the central California Current. Using (15)NH(4)(+) incubations, nitrification was detectable in the upper water column down to 500 m; maximal rates were observed just below the euphotic zone. Crenarchaeal and betaproteobacterial ammonia monooxygenase subunit A genes (amoA), and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes of Marine Group I Crenarchaeota and a putative nitrite-oxidizing genus, Nitrospina, were quantified using quantitative PCR. Crenarchaeal amoA abundance ranged from three to six genes ml(-1) in oligotrophic surface waters to > 8.7 x 10(4) genes ml(-1) just below the core of the California Current at 200 m depth. Bacterial amoA abundance was lower than archaeal amoA and ranged from below detection levels to 400 genes ml(-1). Nitrification rates were not directly correlated to bacterial or archaeal amoA abundance. Archaeal amoA and Marine Group I crenarchaeal 16S rRNA gene abundances were correlated with Nitrospina 16S rRNA gene abundance at all stations, indicating that similar factors may control the distribution of these two groups. Putatively shallow water-associated archaeal amoA types ('Cluster A') decreased in relative abundance with depth, while a deep water-associated amoA type ('Cluster B') increased with depth. Although some Cluster B amoA sequences were found in surface waters, expressed amoA gene sequences were predominantly from Cluster A. Cluster B amoA transcripts were detected between 100 and 500 m depths, suggesting an active role in ammonia oxidation in the mesopelagic. Expression of marine Nitrosospira-like bacterial amoA genes was detected throughout the euphotic zone down to 200 m. Natural abundance stable isotope ratios (delta(15)N and delta(18)O) in nitrate (NO(3)(-)) and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) were used to evaluate the importance of nitrification over longer time scales. Using an isotope mass balance model, we calculate that nitrification could produce between 0.45 and 2.93 micromol m(-2) day(-1) N(2)O in the central California Current, or approximately 1.5-4 times the local N(2)O flux from deep water.

  View details for DOI 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2010.02205.x

  View details for Web of Science ID 000280101200016

  View details for PubMedID 20345944

• Abundance and diversity of archaeal ammonia oxidizers in a coastal groundwater aquifer Applied and Environmental Microbiology Rogers, D., Casciotti, K. L. 2010; 76: 7938-7948
• Oxygen isotopic exchange and fractionation during bacterial nitrite oxidation Limnology and Oceanography Buchwald, C., Casciotti, K. L. 2010; 55: 1064-1074
• Novel strains isolated from a coastal aquifer suggest a predatory role for flavobacteria Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) Microbiology Ecology Banning, E. C., Casciotti, K. L., Kujawinski, E. B. 2010; 73: 254-270
• Assessment of nitrogen and oxygen isotopic fractionation during nitrification and its expression in the marine environment Methods in Enzymology Casciotti, K. L., Buchwald, C., Santoro, A. E., Frame, C. H. 2010; 486: 253-280
• Biogeochemical controls and isotopic signatures of nitrous oxide production by a marine ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Biogeosciences Frame, C. H., Casciotti, K. L. 2010; 7: 2695-2709
• Abiotic nitrous oxide emission from the hypersaline Don Juan Pond in Antarctica Nature Geoscience Samarkin, V. A., Madigan, M. T., Bowles, M. W., Casciotti, K. L., Priscu, J. C., McKay, C. P., Joye, S. B. 2010; 3: 341-344
• Fully automated system for stable isotopic analyses of dissolved nitrous oxide at natural abundance levels Limnology and Oceanography: Methods McIlvin , M. R., Casciotti, K. L. 2010; 8: 54-66
• Inverse Kinetic Isotope Fractionation During Bacterial Nitrite Oxidation Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Casciotti, K. L. 2009; 73: 2061-2076
• Determining the nitrogen isotopic composition of porphyrins by the denitrifier method Analytical Chemistry Higgins, M. B., Robinson, R. S., Casciotti, K. L., McIlvin, M., Pearson, A. 2009; 81: 184-192
• Dual isotope analyses indicate efficient processing of atmospheric nitrate by forested watersheds in the northeastern U.S. Biogeochemistry Barnes, R. T., Raymond, P. A., Casciotti, K. L. 2008; 90: 15-27
• Nitrogen Isotopes in the Ocean Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences Sigman, D. M., Karsh, K. L., Casciotti, K. L. edited by Steele, J. H., Thorpe, S. A., Turekian, K. K. Academic Press, New York. 2008
• Supersaturated N2O in a perennially ice-covered Antarctic lake: Molecular and stable isotopic evidence for a biogeochemical relict Limnology and Oceanography Priscu, J. C., Christner, B. C., Dore, J. E., Westley, M. B., Popp, B. N., Casciotti, K. L., Lyons, W. B. 2008; 53: 2438-2450
• Insights into nutrient assimilation and export in naturally iron-fertilized waters of the Southern Ocean from nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen isotopes Deep Sea Research II Trull, T. W., Davies, D., Casciotti, K. L. 2008; 55: 820-840
• Barium in Twilight Zone Suspended Matter as a Proxy for Particulate Organic Carbon Remineralization: Results from the North Pacific Deep Sea Research II Dehairs, F., Jacquet, S., Savoye, N., Bishop, J., van Mooy, B., Buesseler, K., Lamborg, C., Elskens, M., Boyd, P., Casciotti, K., Baeyens, W. 2008; 55: 1673-1683
• Constraints on Nitrogen Cycling at the Subtropical North Pacific Station ALOHA from Isotopic Measurements of Nitrate and Particulate Nitrogen Deep Sea Research II Casciotti, K. L., Glover, D. M., Trull, T., Davies, D. 2008; 55: 1661-1672
• Isotopic analyses of nitrate and nitrite from reference mixtures and application to Eastern Tropical North Pacific waters Marine Chemistry Casciotti, K. L., McIlvin, M. R. 2007; 107: 184-201
• Oxygen isotopes in nitrite: analysis, calibration, and equilibration Analytical Chemistry Casciotti, K. L., Böhlke, J. K., McIlvin, M. R., Mroczkowski, S. J., Hannon, J. E. 2007; 79: 2427-2436
• Revisiting Carbon Flux Through the Ocean's Twilight Zone Science Buesseler, K. O., Lamborg, C. H., Boyd, P. W., Lam, P. J., Trull, T. W., Bidigare, R. R., Bishop, J. K., Casciotti, K. L., Dehairs, F., Elskens, M., Honda, M., Karl, D. M., Siegel, D. A., Silver, M. W., Steinberg, D. K., Valdes, J., Van Mooy, B., Wilson, S. 2007; 316: 567-570
• Method for the analysis of d18O in water Analytical Chemistry McIlvin, M., Casciotti, K. L. 2006; 78: 22377-2381
• Denitrification in the Hypolimnion of Permanently Ice-Covered Lake Bonney, Antarctica Aquatic Microbial Ecology Ward , B., Granger, B. J., Maldonado, M. T., Casciotti, K. L., Harris, S., Wells, M. L. 2005; 38: 295-307
• Phylogenetic analysis of nitric oxide reductase gene homologues from aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) Microbiology Ecology Casciotti, K. L., Ward, B. B. 2005; 52: 197-205
• Using dual bacterial denitrification to improve d15N determinations of nitrates containing mass independent 17O Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry Coplen, T. B., Böhlke, J. K., Casciotti, K. L. 2004; 18: 245-250
• Preparation and Analysis of Nitrogen-bearing Compounds in Water for Stable Isotope Ratio Measurement Handbook of Stable Isotope Analytical Techniques Chang, C. Y., Silva, S. R., Kendall, C., Michalski, G., Casciotti, K. l., Wankel, S. edited by deGroot, P. A. 2004: 305–354
• Linking Diversity and Stable Isotope Fractionation in Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria Geomicrobiology Journal Casciotti, K. L., Sigman, D. M., Ward, B. B. 2003; 20: 335-353
• Localization of Mn(II)-oxidizing activity and the putative multicopper oxidase, MnxG, to the exosporium of the marine Bacillus sp. strain SG-1 Archives of Microbiology Francis, C. A., Casciotti, K. L., Tebo, B. B. 2002; 178: 450-456
• Measurement of the Oxygen Isotopic Composition of Nitrate in Marine and Fresh Waters Using the Denitrifier Method Analytical Chemistry Casciotti, K. L., Sigman, D. M., Hastings, M. G., Böhlke, J. K., Hilkert, A. 2002; 74: 4905-4912
• A Bacterial Method for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of Nitrate in Marine and Fresh Waters Analytical Chemistry Sigman, D. M., Casciotti, K. L., Andreani, M., Barford, C., Galanter, M., Böhlke, J. K. 2001; 73: 4145-4153
• Dissimilatory Nitrite Reductase Genes in Autotrophic Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria Applied and Environmental Microbiology Casciotti, K. L., Ward, B. B. 2001; 67: 2213-2221
• Initiation of the Spring Phytoplankton Increase in the Antarctic Polar Front Zone at 170º W Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans Landry, M. R., Brown, S. L., Selph, K. E., Abbott, M. R., Letelier, R. M., Christensen, S., Bidigare, R. R., Casciotti, K. L. 2001; 106: 13903-13915
• Nitrogen Isotopes in the Ocean Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences Sigman, D. M., Casciotti, K. L., Steele, J. H., Thorpe, S. A. edited by Turekian, K. K. Academic Press, New York. 2001: 1884–1894