Abstract
Available information on direct measures of nitrate and ammonium assimilation by phytoplankton populations in the southern Benguela over the past 10 years has been synthesized into a convenient framework for comparison with other major coastal upwelling ecosystems. Based on a recent model, the southern Benguela and Peruvian upwelling systems are characterized by the highest potential for new production of the four systems analysed. Realization of this production potential is determined by biological and physical factors. The effects of ammonium and phytoplankton size on the f-ratio (and new production) have been considered. The proportion of ammonium in the inorganic nitrogen pool suppresses the f-ratio in a manner similar to that described for a number of other coastal regions. Related to the effect of ammonium and its supply by microbial processes is the partitioning of nitrogen resources among different size-classes of phytoplankton. Netplankton are characterized by higher f-ratios than both nanoplankt...
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