Research Progress of Alkaline Phosphatase and Its Activity in the Ocean

Abstract

This paper reviewed the research progress and prospects of alkaline phosphatase and its activity in the ocean, aiming to better understand marine biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem functions and provide a scientific basis for related research topics. Alkaline phosphatase, mainly produced by phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteria and identified according to the pore size of filters, was of great significance for regulating marine carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and biological community compositions. Furthermore, alkaline phosphatase activity, generally quantified by hydrolyzing fluorogenic model substrates, had specific horizontal, vertical and seasonal distribution characteristics in the global ocean. Some typical environmental factors were found to be capable of affecting alkaline phosphatase activity, including solar radiation, sea temperature, river input, upwelling, dissolved organic phosphorus, dissolved inorganic phosphorus, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, metal ions and virus lysis, zooplankton predation and excretion.

Keywords

• phosphorus limitation
• alkaline phosphatase
• biological community composition
• primary production
• marine biogeochemical cycle