Osmotrophy of dissolved organic carbon by coccolithophores in darkness

What is it about?

Coccolithophores are unicellular photosynthetic algae and important drivers of carbon cycling in the ocean. Osmotrophy is a feeding mechanism in which dissolved organic compounds are moved by osmosis, allowing for nutritional flexibility. Here we show that osmotrophy supports long-term survival of coccolithophores in light conditions far below the threshold for photosynthesis. We also show for the first time that dissolved organic matter is incorporated into the inorganic carbon of the calcium carbonate liths that cover their cells. This raises fundamental questions about the role of the carbonate pump and its balance in the oceanic carbon cycle.

Featured Image