Articles | Volume 23, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-1609-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-1609-2026
Research article
 | 
02 Mar 2026
Research article |  | 02 Mar 2026

Role of phosphorus concentration and the nitrogen to phosphate ratio in the synergistic stimulation of alkaline phosphatase activity in Laizhou Bay, China, coastal waters

Yanqun Yang, Xiaomeng Duan, Shengkang Liang, Mingzheng Zhang, Shanshan Li, Hongguan Li, Guoling Zhang, Haoyang Ma, Xiurong Han, and Xiulin Wang

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Cited articles

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Coastal bays face nitrogen increases while phosphorus stays scarce. At <0.05 μmol/L phosphorus, marine microbes boost alkaline phosphatase production. The nitrogen : phosphorus ratio further enhances this when phosphorus is limited. Our research reveals how nutrient imbalances favor phosphorus-adapted organisms, reshaping ecosystems. Better nutrient management is needed to protect coastal waters.
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