ABSTRACT
Amino acids are essential building blocks of life. A number of mechanisms are responsible for the presence of amino acids in seawater, including direct release by phytoplankton via passive diffusion or active exudation, zooplankton excretion, and bacterial exoenzyme production (Nagata, 2000; Bronk, 2002). Indirect mechanisms include viral lysis, heterotrophic grazing, fecal pellet dissolution, and death and decay of both autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms (Jumars et al., 1989; Carlson, 2002).
