Nutrient uptake plasticity in phytoplankton sustains future ocean net primary production.

Journal:
Science Advances
Published:
DOI:
10.1126/sciadv.add2475
Affiliations:
5
Authors:
7

Research Highlight

Algae could sink more carbon as oceans warm

© Science Photo Library - STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Sunlight-harnessing marine algae known as phytoplankton could be less affected by warming oceans than previously feared thanks to their ability of to adapt to low-nutrient conditions.

Every year, phytoplankton in the world’s oceans convert about 50 billion tons of carbon — roughly 1.3 times the amount that humanity pumps into the atmosphere — into biological material, of which about 10% drops into the ocean depths. This represents a critical carbon sink.

Some studies have predicted that warming oceans will curtail this sequestration of carbon as phytoplankton become less productive due to fewer nutrients in surface waters.

Now, a model created by a team led by researchers from the Institute for Basic Science in South Korea  has indicated that the ability of phytoplankton to adapt to low-nutrient conditions could actually boost their productivity.

This result, which was backed up by observational data, suggests that phytoplankton will take more carbon out of circulation as the oceans warm.

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References

  1. Science Advances 51, eadd2475 (2022). doi: 10.1126/sciadv.add2475
Institutions Authors Share
Division of Earth Science, IBS, South Korea
2.000000
0.29
Pusan National University (PNU), South Korea
2.000000
0.29
Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE), United States of America (USA)
1.000000
0.14
University of Montana (UMT), United States of America (USA)
1.000000
0.14
Research Institute for Global Change, JAMSTEC, Japan
1.000000
0.14