Deep Ocean's Carbon-Fixing Secrets Revealed: Unexpected Microbes Take Center Stage

Researchers at the University of California - Santa Barbara and their collaborators have discovered that the deep ocean's carbon-fixing engine works differently than previously assumed. According to a recent study, unexpected microbes, particularly heterotrophs, are doing far more of the work than expected in fixing carbon in the sunless depths of the ocean. This finding reshapes the understanding of how carbon moves through the deep ocean and stabilizes Earth's climate. The study, led by UCSB microbial oceanographer Alyson Santoro, revealed that ammonia-oxidizing archaea were not the primary drivers of carbon fixation in the deep ocean as previously thought. Instead, experiments showed that heterotrophs, a type of microbe that consumes and breaks down organic matter, are responsible for a significant portion of carbon fixation in the deep sea. This unexpected finding has significant implications for our understanding of the ocean's role in regulating the Earth's climate. "This study challenges our long-held assumptions about the role of ammonia-oxidizing archaea in the deep ocean," said Santoro. "Our findings suggest that heterotrophs are playing a much more significant role in carbon fixation than we previously thought, and this has important implications for our understanding of how the ocean stores carbon." The deep ocean is a vast and largely unexplored ecosystem that plays a critical role in regulating the Earth's climate. The ocean absorbs approximately 25% of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere each year, which is then stored in the deep sea. However, the process of carbon fixation in the deep ocean is not well understood, and scientists have long assumed that ammonia-oxidizing archaea were the primary drivers of this process. The study's findings have significant implications for our understanding of the ocean's role in regulating the Earth's climate. "This study highlights the importance of heterotrophs in the deep ocean and suggests that they may be playing a more significant role in carbon fixation than previously thought," said Dr. Robert Anderson, a marine biologist at the University of California - Santa Barbara. "This has important implications for our understanding of how the ocean stores carbon and how we can use this knowledge to mitigate the effects of climate change." The study's findings also have implications for the development of new technologies and strategies for mitigating the effects of climate change. "This study highlights the importance of continued research into the ocean's role in regulating the Earth's climate," said Santoro. "By better understanding the complex processes that occur in the deep ocean, we can develop new technologies and strategies for mitigating the effects of climate change." The study's findings are based on a series of experiments conducted in the deep sea using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to collect samples and deploy sensors. The researchers used a combination of genetic and biochemical techniques to identify the types of microbes present in the samples and to measure their activity. The study's findings are expected to have a significant impact on the field of oceanography and our understanding of the ocean's role in regulating the Earth's climate. "This study is a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the ocean's role in regulating the Earth's climate," said Dr. Anderson. "It highlights the importance of continued research into the ocean's complex processes and suggests that there is still much to be learned about the ocean's role in regulating the Earth's climate." The study's findings are also expected to have implications for the development of new technologies and strategies for mitigating the effects of climate change. "This study highlights the importance of continued research into the ocean's role in regulating the Earth's climate," said Santoro. "By better understanding the complex processes that occur in the deep ocean, we can develop new technologies and strategies for mitigating the effects of climate change." The study's findings are a significant step forward in our understanding of the ocean's role in regulating the Earth's climate. As researchers continue to explore the deep ocean and uncover new insights into its complex processes, we can expect to learn more about the ocean's role in regulating the Earth's climate and how we can use this knowledge to mitigate the effects of climate change.