Nutrient cycling in tropical and temperate coastal waters: Is latitude making a difference?

Tropical coastal waters are highly dynamic and amongst the most biogeochemically active zones in ocean. This review compares nitrogen (N) phosphorus (P) cycles temperate tropical waters. We literature to identify major similarities differences between these two regions, specifically with regards impact of environmental factors (temperature, sunlight), riverine inputs, groundwater, lateral fluxes, atmospheric deposition, fixation, organic nutrient cycling, primary production, respiration, sedimentary burial, denitrification anammox. Overall, there some but also key relating mainly temperature, sunlight, precipitation amounts patterns. conclude that due biogeochemical processes, we cannot directly apply cause effect relationships models from systems Our highlights considerable gaps knowledge processes compared systems. Given ecological societal importance waters, hope highlighting as well existing gaps, will inspire further studies on their processes. Such be essential better understand forecast impacts cycling at local, regional, global scales.