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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 cycle1. These microscopic algae possess a distinctive feature - their intricate, nanopatterned silica cell walls, known as frustules2. Diatoms are a crucial component in estuarine and coastal wetland ecosystems3, and their frustules have been the subject of intensive study due to their potential applications in nanotechnology2.

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 sea45. 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 nutrients2. 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 ocean1.

The availability of dissolved silicon, the primary building block for diatom frustules, plays a crucial role in regulating diatom growth and population dynamics6. 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 groups6. 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 cycle6.

Some studies of iron ocean fertilization have suggested that diatoms are important in the export of carbon7891011.

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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, February 10). Plankton networks driving carbon export in the oligotrophic ocean. Nature Portfolio, 532(7600), 465-470. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16942 ↩ ↩2

  2. Durkin, C A., Möck, T., & Vardi, A. (2009, July 1). Chitin in Diatoms and Its Association with the Cell Wall. American Society for Microbiology, 8(7), 1038-1050. https://doi.org/10.1128/ec.00079-09 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. Stanca, E., Roselli, L., Cellamare, M., & Basset, A. (2013, January 6). Phytoplankton composition in the coastal Magnetic Island lagoon, Western Pacific Ocean (Australia). University of Salento, 7(2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1285/i1825229xv7n2p145 ↩

  4. Flower, R J. (2013, January 1). DIATOM METHODS | Diatomites: Their Formation, Distribution, and Uses. Elsevier BV, 501-506. 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, January 1). Engineering and Medical Applications of Diatoms. American Scientific Publishers, 5(1), 88-91. https://doi.org/10.1166/jnn.2005.020 ↩

  6. Meirinawati, H. (2018, April 30). SILIKON TERLARUT UNTUK PERTUMBUHAN DIATOM. Indonesian Institute of Sciences, 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, October 1). SILICON METABOLISM IN DIATOMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR GROWTH. Wiley, 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, March 1). 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. Elsevier BV, 55(5-7), 801-819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2007.12.003 ↩

  9. Quéguiner, B. (2013, June 1). Iron fertilization and the structure of planktonic communities in high nutrient regions of the Southern Ocean. Elsevier BV, 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, March 15). Iron enrichment stimulates toxic diatom production in high-nitrate, low-chlorophyll areas. 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, July 18). Deep carbon export from a southern ocean iron-fertilized diatom bloom. , 487(7407), 313–319. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11229 ↩