The Oceanic Nitrogen Cycle: A Double-Edged Agent of Environmental Change?

Abstract

This chapter is based on a lecture delivered at a International Year of the Ocean meeting held at Simon Fraser University during November 1998. This meeting had a strong element of environmental concern and action and thus was a departure from the ``pure'' science meetings that I normally attend. The meeting reminded me of my younger days in the Pacific Northwest when I was active in the local Sierra Club Chapter. Overall, I was most impressed with the meeting, and I hope that I can do justice to the confidence that the meeting organizers placed in me by convincing you that the oceanic nitrogen cycle cannot be neglected when we consider environmental change. As is generally the case, wise use of our knowledge vis-à-vis this cycle could be helpful whereas misuse or neglect could be harmful.