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Some data suggest diatoms can increase carbon export in OIF

Diatoms, a diverse group of unicellular phytoplankton, have long been recognized for their importance in the marine carbon cycle 1. These microscopic algae possess a distinctive feature - their intricate, nanopatterned silica cell walls, known as frustules 2. Diatoms are a crucial component in estuarine and coastal wetland ecosystems 3, and their frustules have been the subject of intensive study due to their potential applications in nanotechnology 2.

Recent research has suggested that the heavy, silica-based frustules of diatoms may play a significant role in facilitating the export of carbon from the surface ocean to the deep sea 4 5. The formation and eventual dissolution of these intricate structures control the biogeochemical cycling of silicon in the ocean, which in turn affects the cycling of carbon and other essential nutrients 2. Diatoms are commonly attributed to being important in carbon flux because of their large size and rapid sinking rates, which allow them to efficiently transport carbon to the deep ocean 1.

The availability of dissolved silicon, the primary building block for diatom frustules, plays a crucial role in regulating diatom growth and population dynamics 6. Changes in the ratios of silicon to other nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, can significantly impact the composition of the phytoplankton community, potentially favoring diatoms over other groups 6. Additionally, the function of silicon in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels has been recognized, further underscoring the importance of understanding the role of diatoms in the marine carbon cycle 6.

Some studies of iron ocean fertilization have suggested that diatoms are important in the export of carbon 7 8 9 10 11.

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Footnotes​

  1. Guidi, L., Chaffron, S., Bittner, L., Eveillard, D., Larhlimi, A., Roux, S., Darzi, Y., Audic, S., Berline, L., Brum, J. R., Coelho, L. P., Ignacio‐Espinoza, J. C., Malviya, S., Sunagawa, S., Dimier, C., Kandels‐Lewis, S., Picheral, M., Poulain, J., Searson, S., . . . Bowler, C. (2016). Plankton networks driving carbon export in the oligotrophic ocean. Nature, 532(7600), 465-470. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16942 ↩ ↩2

  2. Durkin, C. A., Möck, T., & Vardi, A. (2009). Chitin in diatoms and its association with the cell wall. Eukaryotic Cell, 8(7), 1038-1050. https://doi.org/10.1128/ec.00079-09 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. Stanca, E., Roselli, L., Cellamare, M., & Basset, A. (2013). Phytoplankton composition in the coastal Magnetic Island lagoon, Western Pacific Ocean (Australia). Transitional Waters Bulletin, 7(2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1285/i1825229xv7n2p145 ↩

  4. Flower, R. J. (2013). Diatomites: Their formation, distribution, and uses. In Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science (2nd ed., pp. 501-506). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-444-53643-3.00220-x ↩

  5. Wee, K. M., Rogers, T., Altan, B. S., Hackney, S., & Hamm, C. (2005). Engineering and medical applications of diatoms. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 5(1), 88-91. https://doi.org/10.1166/jnn.2005.020 ↩

  6. Meirinawati, H. (2018). Silikon terlarut untuk pertumbuhan diatom. Oseana, 43(1), 27-36. https://doi.org/10.14203/oseana.2018.vol.43no.1.10 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  7. Martin‐Jézéquel, V., Hildebrand, M., & Brzezinski, M. A. (2000). Silicon metabolism in diatoms: Implications for growth. Journal of Phycology, 36(5), 821-840. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1529-8817.2000.00019.x ↩

  8. Mosseri, J., Quéguiner, B., Armand, L., & Cornet, V. (2008). Impact of iron on silicon utilization by diatoms in the Southern Ocean: A case study of Si/N cycle decoupling in a naturally iron-enriched area. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 55(5-7), 801-819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2007.12.003 ↩

  9. Quéguiner, B. (2013). Iron fertilization and the structure of planktonic communities in high nutrient regions of the Southern Ocean. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 90, 43-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2012.07.024 ↩

  10. Trick, C. G., Bill, B. D., Cochlan, W. P., Wells, M. L., Trainer, V. L., & Pickell, L. D. (2010). Iron enrichment stimulates toxic diatom production in high-nitrate, low-chlorophyll areas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(13), 5887-5892. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0910579107 ↩

  11. Smetacek, V., Klaas, C., Strass, V., Assmy, P., Montresor, M., Cisewski, B., Savoye, N., Webb, A., D'Ovidio, F., Arrieta, J. M., Bathmann, U., Bellerby, R. G. J., Berg, G. M., Croot, P., Goldstein, S. L., Henjes, J., Herndl, G. J., Hoffmann, L., Leach, H., . . . Wolf‐Gladrow, D. (2012). Deep carbon export from a southern ocean iron-fertilized diatom bloom. Nature, 487(7407), 313-319. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11229 ↩