Articles tagged with Marine Photosynthesis
Researchers discovered that common plastics emit greenhouse gases methane and ethylene when exposed to sunlight. Polyethylene, the most produced synthetic polymer globally, was found to be the most prolific emitter of these gases.
A new study by Florida State University researchers has found that tiny phaeodarian organisms in the ocean's twilight zone are consuming up to 20% of sinking, carbon-rich particles before they reach the deep ocean. This discovery suggests a significant impact on Earth's carbon cycle and challenges current climate dynamics.
Researchers find that many invertebrates, including corals and molluscs, can produce omega-3 fatty acids through enzymes called desaturases. This breakthrough challenges the long-held principle that marine microbes are responsible for primary production of omega-3.
A 2-billion-year-old chunk of sea salt provides evidence for the transformation of Earth's atmosphere into an oxygenated environment. The study suggests that the Great Oxidation Event was a significant and rapid change in oxygen production, contrary to previous estimates.
Researchers discovered that cyanobacteria, crucial to ocean life, can change color to adapt to different light conditions. This ability allows them to photosynthesize and thrive in various parts of the world's oceans.
A recent study found that plastic pellets in marine environments have been leaking for decades, with continuous leakage leading to massive releases. Researchers calculated that 3-36 million pellets are spread every year from the Stenungsund production site.
A new study suggests that increased precipitation in the East Asian region led to erosion and the transport of dust into the North Pacific Ocean, which in turn fertilized the ocean surface waters, pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. This process may have contributed to a cooling of the Earth's climate 2.7 million years ago.
Researchers have developed biogeochemical profiling floats to collect data on phytoplankton blooms, identifying the starting point for explosive spring blooms. These robots provide unparalleled data on ocean conditions, including light intensity, suspended particles, and chlorophyll concentration.
Typhoon Talim produces heavy precipitation in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with storms dropping rain at rates of over 76 mm/hour and 120 mm/hour. The typhoon is expected to intensify as it moves towards Japan, with winds forecast to reach 115 knots.
Scientists at UC Santa Cruz have made progress understanding and predicting toxic algal blooms, but the trigger for domoic acid production remains a mystery. A new grant will fund research to unravel the interaction between algae and bacteria, which are found in association with toxic blooms.
Research reveals 'bodysnatchers' of the ocean, mixotrophs that enslave prey to acquire photosynthetic capability, have a significant impact on the food-web. These single-celled organisms support fisheries while others can be highly toxic.
Excess nitrogen in oceans disrupts coral-algae symbiosis, triggering bleaching even without heat and light stress. Microbial processes like nitrogen fixation can exacerbate bleaching events.
Researchers discover that cultured picocyanobacteria, such as Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus, release fluorescent components that closely match the typical signals found in oceanic environments. This finding sheds light on the origin of colored dissolved organic matter in the deep ocean.
A new study reveals that a specific type of deep-sea bacteria, SAR202, plays a crucial role in breaking down 'recalcitrant' forms of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the ocean. This process helps to sequester massive amounts of carbon, which can persist for thousands of years.
The Association for the Sciences of Limnology & Oceanography (ASLO) announced the winners of the Nutrient Sensor Challenge, a market challenge aimed at developing affordable and accurate nutrient sensors. The Systea S.p.A. sensor won both Nitrate and Phosphate sensor categories, while the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) team receive...
The Nutrient Sensor Challenge aims to develop affordable and accurate nutrient sensors for aquatic environments. Winners will be announced at the ASLO meeting on March 2, marking progress in reducing nutrient pollution.
Scientists have discovered that marine bacteria can synthesise dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), an important nutrient for microorganisms and precursor to the climate-cooling gas dimethyl sulfide (DMS). The production of DMSP by many marine bacteria has significant implications for the global sulfur cycle.
A Florida State University researcher investigated how carbon moves from the ocean surface to greater depths and remains there for hundreds of years. The study found that certain areas of the sea, particularly fronts where temperature or salinity changes, act as giant conduits moving carbon to deeper depths.
A space-based sensor has provided a continuous look at phytoplankton boom-bust cycles, revealing they are more tied to the push-pull relationship between predators and prey. The study suggests blooms start when growth rates are slow, not when rates reach a threshold rate.
New research summarizes what is known about oil in the ocean after a spill, including the impact of chemical dispersants. Investigators highlight the importance of studying extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to improve response to future oil spills.
Researchers at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School used data from international scientific cruises to map the distribution of dissolved organic carbon in the Atlantic Ocean. They found that one third of global ocean net production comes from this basin, with nutrient arrival predicting DOC production.
A new study reveals that changes in Antarctic coastal polynyas are driven by variations in surrounding ice, including ice shelves and glaciers. Sea ice production decreases during major events like ice shelf collapse and increases when off-shore first-year ice is reduced.
Regulation of localized sea turtle bycatch in the Hawaii longline swordfish fishery led to increased total sea turtle bycatch in the surrounding area. The study found that without such regulation, sea turtle bycatch would be 11% lower than actual counts.
Scientists have discovered that a tiny ocean organism called Pelagibacterales is playing an important role in the regulation of the Earth's climate. The bacterial group produces dimethylsulfide (DMS), a gas that stimulates cloud formation, and helps to stabilize the Earth's atmosphere through a negative feedback loop. This discovery op...
Researchers have found a decline in productivity in the Gulf of Maine due to increased amounts of dissolved organic carbon from rivers and the Scotia Shelf Current. This organic matter absorbs light necessary for photosynthetic organisms, influencing the ecology of the Gulf.
Using satellite data and subsurface observations, researchers aim to better understand the ocean's biological carbon pump and its response to climate change. The study's findings have significant implications for predicting CO2 levels and understanding the Earth's climate.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals that coral reef islands and atolls create 'biological hotspots' in the Pacific Ocean due to increased phytoplankton biomass, supporting enhanced food-webs and local fisheries. The Island Mass Effect drives ecosystem productivity and has significant implications for resource management.
A study has uncovered a complex planktonic network influencing the ocean's biological carbon pump, which removes carbon from the atmosphere. The research found that certain bacterial and viral genes predict variations in carbon export, enabling better predictions of climate change effects.
Researchers at MIT and Bristol University found that mixotrophic organisms can increase the average size of plankton by up to 35%, leading to a greater flux of sinking organic carbon particles. This could enhance the ocean's ability to sequester carbon dioxide, potentially mitigating climate change.
Phytoplankton play a crucial role in the ocean's food web and contribute to climate change by removing carbon from the atmosphere. Research reveals complex patterns of response to changing variables like nutrients, light, and ocean stratification, with predictions that global phytoplankton production will decrease.
The ocean microbiome is a vast biological network that regulates global systems, including energy consumption and respiration. Microbes are responsible for virtually all photosynthesis in the ocean and cycle essential nutrients and trace elements.
Researchers from the University of Leicester warn that a six-degree Celsius increase in ocean temperature could stop oxygen production by phytoplankton, leading to catastrophic consequences. This would result in the depletion of atmospheric oxygen on a global scale, causing mass mortality of animals and humans.
Scientists have discovered unmistakable signs of oxygen in ancient iron-bearing rocks from the ocean floor, dating back 3.23 billion years. The findings suggest that cyanobacteria, primitive photosynthetic organisms, were responsible for liberating oxygen, marking a significant milestone in Earth's history.
Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill identified proteorhodopsin, a protein allowing certain phytoplankton to survive in iron-limited ocean regions. This discovery resets ideas on how to measure and understand carbon cycling, potentially altering climate change predictions.
A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that ocean fronts increase total ecosystem biomass and fisheries production. By incorporating front dynamics into current climate models, researchers found that these regions can aggregate food and resources, leading to higher productivity in the ocean.
ORCA will study microscopic phytoplankton and their impact on the carbon cycle, measuring chlorophyll concentrations and distinguishing between types of phytoplankton. The instrument's hyperspectral capability offers a range of bands to refine ocean observations.
A new study by scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution reveals that the deep ocean is a major source of dissolved iron in the central Pacific Ocean. The research found that hydrothermal vents and sediments thousands of meters below the sea surface are the primary sources of iron, contradicting previous assumptions.
Researchers find that climate change may affect the ratio of oxygen consumed to phosphorus released during organic matter respiration in the subsurface ocean. This shift could lead to more carbon being stored in the ocean, potentially offsetting the slowdown of the ocean's uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
A new study by University of Waterloo researchers reveals that a single group of microorganisms may be responsible for most of the world's vitamin B12 production in the oceans. This discovery has significant implications for the global carbon cycle and climate change.
Tropical Storm Genevieve has weakened to a tropical depression, but its remnants are being chased by two developing low-pressure areas. NASA's GOES-West satellite imagery shows these systems moving westward towards Hawaii, with a 30% chance of development over the next couple of days.
New research reveals that warmer waters impact plankton's ability to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, leading to a vicious cycle of climate change. Phytoplankton play a crucial role in marine ecosystems, producing oxygen and serving as the base of the food chain.
Scientists discovered a set of core genes that mix and match with variable genes allowing Emiliania huxleyi to adapt to different environments. This discovery may help understand how rising industrial carbon emissions affect climate and ocean health.
A team led by UCSB professors found that certain microscopic shelled plants, such as Emiliania huxleyi, can tolerate high levels of carbon dioxide and even increase shell production, but may grow slower. This discovery suggests variable responses in marine organisms to ocean acidification.
A study published in Nature Geoscience reveals that oceanographic reorganisations and biological processes linked to airborne dust in the Southern Ocean drove past rapid fluctuations in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. The research found large changes in chemical stratification of the Southern Ocean on millennial timescales, highligh...
A new study calculates the impact of ocean iron fertilization on carbon sequestration, finding that it is unlikely to be an effective method for reducing greenhouse gas levels. The study estimates a net sequestration rate of just 10 tonnes of carbon per square kilometer, making it a costly and inefficient solution.
A University of California at San Diego study has demonstrated that marine algae can produce biofuels as effectively as freshwater algae. The research opens up new possibilities for large-scale algae production using ocean water, which could provide up to 40 billion gallons of fuel annually.
NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites monitor low-pressure areas with a chance of becoming tropical depressions, storms, and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. Tropical Depression 9 is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm, while System 96L has a high chance of becoming the tenth tropical depression of the season.
A new trigger for the North Atlantic plankton bloom has been discovered, revealing that swirling currents of seawater sustain phytoplankton in shallower waters. This phenomenon is crucial to the ocean's carbon cycle, absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide and emitting oxygen.
Researchers found that whirlpools, or eddies, in the North Atlantic Ocean sustain phytoplankton growth, allowing them to thrive in shallower waters with ample sunlight. This discovery helps explain the timing and patchy appearance of the massive spring blooms.
Marine researchers have linked ocean acidification to the collapse of oyster seed production at an Oregon hatchery, where larval growth declined due to corrosive water conditions. The study's findings suggest that increased CO2 levels may push oyster larval growth past the break-even point in terms of production.
Research by Oregon State University scientists has found a definitive link between ocean acidification and oyster larval failure, with elevated CO2 levels inhibiting shell development and growth. The study's findings have significant implications for the $100 million annual commercial oyster production industry on the West Coast.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have assembled the draft genome of marine algae Nannochloropis gaditana to discover optimal species for producing biodiesel fuel. Genetic modification reveals the algae's potential for industrial-scale biofuel production, a game-changer in fuel research and production.
Researchers, led by Canada Excellence Research Chair Marcel Babin, are studying Arctic micro-organisms to better understand their response to environmental changes. The findings suggest that phytoplankton blooms are occurring earlier and more frequently, which could impact the entire food chain.
Researchers at the University of Washington have advanced a technique called metagenomics, allowing them to single out a marine microorganism and map its genome even though it comprised only 7 percent of a water sample. The resulting genome offers hints that Euryarchaeota might serve as a cleanup crew after diatoms bloom and die.
Researchers reveal new insight into global photosynthesis, estimating a 25% increase in the chemical process governing CO2 absorption and release. The study provides a benchmark for models simulating carbon cycling through plants.
Researchers discovered a specific type of bacteria capturing carbon dioxide in the 'twilight zone' of the ocean, a region thought to be inhospitable for photosynthesis. The study provides new insights into the dark ocean's carbon cycle and challenges previous assumptions about the role of Archaea.
MIT researchers found evidence that tiny aerobic organisms may have evolved to survive on extremely low levels of oxygen in oceanic 'oxygen oases.' Laboratory experiments with yeast suggest early ancestors could have thrived with minimal O2, reconciling a debate over early Earth's atmosphere.
A team of scientists has discovered that marine plankton, specifically coccolithophores, employ a similar pH-regulation mechanism as vertebrate cells to combat ocean acidification. The armour scales formed by these phytoplankton are found to be dependent on external pH levels.
Research reveals fish produce fine-grained carbonates through their intestines, which are then excreted and released into the environment. This discovery sheds light on the origins of ancient limestone and chalk deposits.
A comprehensive database analysis found a strong positive relationship between surface production and organic matter export, driving predicted patterns of seafloor biomass. Seafloor biomass is highest around the poles and equator due to nutrient-rich upwelling waters, while central abyssal plains exhibit consistently low values.