Monday June 16, 2025
Earth.com —
It can be challenging to spot the everyday forces that keep our ocean in harmony. We often think of sunlight, waves, and tides as the main players in our seas, but there is more to the story.
A new study shows that marine snow (tiny bits of drifting debris) acts as a hotspot for bacteria that help maintain key processes in the water.
These unexpected helpers turn inert nitrogen gas into a form that organisms can use, a process called nitrogen fixation.
Subhendu Chakraborty led this study at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research in Germany.
Ocean waters might appear uniform at a glance. In reality, floating clumps of matter create unique zones where microbes gather.
This flotsam offers heterotrophic bacteria the right mix of low-oxygen centers and enough organic bits to keep them going.