A Review of Phytoplankton Sinking Rates: Mechanisms, Methodologies, and Biogeochemical Implications.

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Hauptverfasser: Zhu, Jie, Cheng, Jiahong, Zeng, Jiangning, Zhang, Wei, Liu, Chenggang, Effiong, Kokoette Sunday, Hao, Qiang
Format: Artículo científico
Sprache:en
Veröffentlicht: Biology 2026
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author Zhu, Jie
Cheng, Jiahong
Zeng, Jiangning
Zhang, Wei
Liu, Chenggang
Effiong, Kokoette Sunday
Hao, Qiang
author_facet Zhu, Jie
Cheng, Jiahong
Zeng, Jiangning
Zhang, Wei
Liu, Chenggang
Effiong, Kokoette Sunday
Hao, Qiang
Zhu, Jie
Cheng, Jiahong
Zeng, Jiangning
Zhang, Wei
Liu, Chenggang
Effiong, Kokoette Sunday
Hao, Qiang
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents A Review of Phytoplankton Sinking Rates: Mechanisms, Methodologies, and Biogeochemical Implications. Zhu, Jie Cheng, Jiahong Zeng, Jiangning Zhang, Wei Liu, Chenggang Effiong, Kokoette Sunday Hao, Qiang Phytoplankton sinking is a pivotal process within the biological carbon pump that drives the vertical transport of organic carbon in the ocean. Its rates and underlying mechanisms directly influence the efficiency of the global carbon cycle and the potential for long-term sequestration. This review synthesizes current knowledge of phytoplankton sinking, encompassing buoyancy regulation mechanisms, environmental and physiological controls, methodological approaches such as settling column (SETCOL), and comparative evidence from laboratory and field studies. The aim is to elucidate the regulatory processes governing sinking and to provide a foundation for improving ecological models and refining estimates of carbon export. Evidence demonstrates that sinking rates vary considerably among phytoplankton groups, with nutrient limitation and aggregation emerging as critical modulators of export efficiency. By integrating results from experimental and in situ research, this review identifies unresolved questions and highlights priority areas: (1) quantitative coupling between aggregation and carbon flux; (2) mechanistic understanding of group-specific sinking responses; (3) integration of novel technologies, including in situ imaging and high-resolution modeling with established methods; and (4) development of interdisciplinary frameworks. Overall, this review consolidates current knowledge and underscores phytoplankton sinking as a crucial yet insufficiently resolved process within the marine carbon cycle.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41594864
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Biology
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle A Review of Phytoplankton Sinking Rates: Mechanisms, Methodologies, and Biogeochemical Implications.
Zhu, Jie
Cheng, Jiahong
Zeng, Jiangning
Zhang, Wei
Liu, Chenggang
Effiong, Kokoette Sunday
Hao, Qiang
A Review of Phytoplankton Sinking Rates: Mechanisms, Methodologies, and Biogeochemical Implications. Zhu, Jie Cheng, Jiahong Zeng, Jiangning Zhang, Wei Liu, Chenggang Effiong, Kokoette Sunday Hao, Qiang Phytoplankton sinking is a pivotal process within the biological carbon pump that drives the vertical transport of organic carbon in the ocean. Its rates and underlying mechanisms directly influence the efficiency of the global carbon cycle and the potential for long-term sequestration. This review synthesizes current knowledge of phytoplankton sinking, encompassing buoyancy regulation mechanisms, environmental and physiological controls, methodological approaches such as settling column (SETCOL), and comparative evidence from laboratory and field studies. The aim is to elucidate the regulatory processes governing sinking and to provide a foundation for improving ecological models and refining estimates of carbon export. Evidence demonstrates that sinking rates vary considerably among phytoplankton groups, with nutrient limitation and aggregation emerging as critical modulators of export efficiency. By integrating results from experimental and in situ research, this review identifies unresolved questions and highlights priority areas: (1) quantitative coupling between aggregation and carbon flux; (2) mechanistic understanding of group-specific sinking responses; (3) integration of novel technologies, including in situ imaging and high-resolution modeling with established methods; and (4) development of interdisciplinary frameworks. Overall, this review consolidates current knowledge and underscores phytoplankton sinking as a crucial yet insufficiently resolved process within the marine carbon cycle.
title A Review of Phytoplankton Sinking Rates: Mechanisms, Methodologies, and Biogeochemical Implications.
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41594864/