Ocean acidification may disrupt diatoms' carbon capture and marine food webs
Our oceans are in trouble, and new research from Flinders University shows how changes in diatoms (microalgae) could further undermine the foundation of aquatic food webs—as well as vital deep-sea carbon capture or sequestration.
Recent research from Flinders University suggests that ocean acidification could disrupt the crucial role of diatoms, microscopic algae, in both marine food webs and deep-sea carbon capture. Diatoms, which produce a significant portion of the Earth's oxygen, account for 40% to 50% of primary production in oceans and play a vital role in exporting organic carbon to deeper waters.
However, as CO₂ levels rise and ocean pH levels drop, diatoms' ability to absorb essential trace metals like iron, zinc, and cadmium is compromised. This could lead to broader ecological impacts, such as disrupted marine food webs and reduced carbon and silicon export to the deep ocean. The study, published in Marine Ecology, used high-tech methods to test common diatom species and assess how acidification affects their growth, abundance, elemental composition, and trace metal uptake.
Researchers are now investigating how these changes interact with trace elements and their potential consequences for marine ecosystems.
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