The nitrogen cycle of Earth is one of the most critical yet poorly understood biogeochemical
cycles. Current estimates of global N2 fixation are approximately 240 Tg N y−1 with a marine
contribution of 100–190 Tg N y−1. Of this, a single non-heterocystous genus, Trichodesmium
sp. contributes approximately100 Tg N y−1 (Capone pers. comm.). Geochemical evidence
suggests that, on a global scale, nitrogen fixation does not always keep pace with denitrification
on time scales of centuries to millenia (Falkowski and Raven, 1997), yet it remains unclear
what process (es) limits nitrogen fixation in the oceans. More importantly, given the
potential for heterocystous cyanobacteria to outcompete organisms such as Trichodesmium, itis unclear why the apparent tempo of evolution of marine diazotrophic cyanobacteria is so
slow. Diazotrophic cyanobacteria have effectively become the “gate keepers” of oceanic productivity,
yet despite the rapid radiation of eukaryotic oxygenic photoautotrophs throughout
the Phanaerozoic eon marine cyanobacteria seem like living fossils (Berman-Frank et al.,
2003). Finally, some Questions needs answering, Are there N2-fixing picoplankton? What
limits the growth of N2-fixing microorganisms in the open ocean? Is N2 fixation associated
with zooplankton?