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Main Authors: Feng, Xiuting, Zhao, Hanshuang, Zhang, Zenghu, Nair, Shailesh, Mou, Shanli, He, Chen, Shi, Quan, Jiao, Nianzhi, Zhang, Yongyu
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Environmental science & technology 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41535095/
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author Feng, Xiuting
Zhao, Hanshuang
Zhang, Zenghu
Nair, Shailesh
Mou, Shanli
He, Chen
Shi, Quan
Jiao, Nianzhi
Zhang, Yongyu
author_facet Feng, Xiuting
Zhao, Hanshuang
Zhang, Zenghu
Nair, Shailesh
Mou, Shanli
He, Chen
Shi, Quan
Jiao, Nianzhi
Zhang, Yongyu
Feng, Xiuting
Zhao, Hanshuang
Zhang, Zenghu
Nair, Shailesh
Mou, Shanli
He, Chen
Shi, Quan
Jiao, Nianzhi
Zhang, Yongyu
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Phytoplankton Directly Release Recalcitrant Dissolved Organic Carbon as a Hidden Pathway in Ocean Carbon Sequestration. Feng, Xiuting Zhao, Hanshuang Zhang, Zenghu Nair, Shailesh Mou, Shanli He, Chen Shi, Quan Jiao, Nianzhi Zhang, Yongyu Phytoplankton Carbon Sequestration Carbon Diatoms Oceans and Seas Seawater Dissolved Organic Matter Recalcitrant dissolved organic carbon (RDOC) constitutes a major long-term carbon reservoir in the ocean and is widely thought to form through microbial reprocessing of organic matter via the microbial carbon pump. Whether phytoplankton can directly produce RDOC has remained untested. Here, we show that two ecologically contrasting diatoms, and sp. DS1, intrinsically release RDOC that persists against microbial degradation. Between 21 and 36% of direct diatom-released DOC is biorefractory (operationally defined as DOC resistant to microbial degradation over 90 days), molecularly enriched in sulfur-containing compounds, and distinct from microbially reprocessed RDOC. Comparative analyses against a global ocean DOC molecular data set reveal that diatom-released RDOC signatures are ubiquitous throughout the water column, from surface to abyssal depths, accounting for a substantial fraction of oceanic DOC. We roughly estimate that direct diatom RDOC production can contribute 0.2-2.2 Pg C yr in global oceans, representing an important and previously underappreciated contribution to oceanic carbon storage. These findings confirm phytoplankton as direct and globally significant contributors to recalcitrant carbon storage, expanding the framework of ocean carbon sequestration.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41535095
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Environmental science & technology
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Phytoplankton Directly Release Recalcitrant Dissolved Organic Carbon as a Hidden Pathway in Ocean Carbon Sequestration.
Feng, Xiuting
Zhao, Hanshuang
Zhang, Zenghu
Nair, Shailesh
Mou, Shanli
He, Chen
Shi, Quan
Jiao, Nianzhi
Zhang, Yongyu
Phytoplankton
Carbon Sequestration
Carbon
Diatoms
Oceans and Seas
Seawater
Dissolved Organic Matter
Phytoplankton Directly Release Recalcitrant Dissolved Organic Carbon as a Hidden Pathway in Ocean Carbon Sequestration. Feng, Xiuting Zhao, Hanshuang Zhang, Zenghu Nair, Shailesh Mou, Shanli He, Chen Shi, Quan Jiao, Nianzhi Zhang, Yongyu Phytoplankton Carbon Sequestration Carbon Diatoms Oceans and Seas Seawater Dissolved Organic Matter Recalcitrant dissolved organic carbon (RDOC) constitutes a major long-term carbon reservoir in the ocean and is widely thought to form through microbial reprocessing of organic matter via the microbial carbon pump. Whether phytoplankton can directly produce RDOC has remained untested. Here, we show that two ecologically contrasting diatoms, and sp. DS1, intrinsically release RDOC that persists against microbial degradation. Between 21 and 36% of direct diatom-released DOC is biorefractory (operationally defined as DOC resistant to microbial degradation over 90 days), molecularly enriched in sulfur-containing compounds, and distinct from microbially reprocessed RDOC. Comparative analyses against a global ocean DOC molecular data set reveal that diatom-released RDOC signatures are ubiquitous throughout the water column, from surface to abyssal depths, accounting for a substantial fraction of oceanic DOC. We roughly estimate that direct diatom RDOC production can contribute 0.2-2.2 Pg C yr in global oceans, representing an important and previously underappreciated contribution to oceanic carbon storage. These findings confirm phytoplankton as direct and globally significant contributors to recalcitrant carbon storage, expanding the framework of ocean carbon sequestration.
title Phytoplankton Directly Release Recalcitrant Dissolved Organic Carbon as a Hidden Pathway in Ocean Carbon Sequestration.
topic Phytoplankton
Carbon Sequestration
Carbon
Diatoms
Oceans and Seas
Seawater
Dissolved Organic Matter
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41535095/