•1 min read•from Oceanography News -- ScienceDaily
The deep ocean is fixing carbon in ways no one expected
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Recent research reveals that the deep ocean's role in carbon fixation is more complex than previously understood. Traditionally, ammonia-oxidizing archaea were believed to be the primary contributors in these sunless depths. However, new experiments indicate that heterotrophic microbes play a far more significant role in this process than anticipated. This groundbreaking discovery not only enhances our understanding of carbon dynamics in the deep ocean but also underscores the critical importance of these ecosystems in stabilizing Earth's climate.
Researchers have uncovered surprising evidence that the deep ocean’s carbon-fixing engine works very differently than long assumed. While ammonia-oxidizing archaea were thought to dominate carbon fixation in the sunless depths, experiments show that other microbes—especially heterotrophs—are doing far more of the work than expected. This discovery reshapes our understanding of how carbon moves through the deep ocean and stabilizes Earth’s climate.
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