|
Titel |
Acidification increases microbial polysaccharide degradation in the ocean |
VerfasserIn |
J. Piontek, M. Lunau, N. Händel, C. Borchard, M. Wurst, A. Engel |
Medientyp |
Artikel
|
Sprache |
Englisch
|
ISSN |
1726-4170
|
Digitales Dokument |
URL |
Erschienen |
In: Biogeosciences ; 7, no. 5 ; Nr. 7, no. 5 (2010-05-19), S.1615-1624 |
Datensatznummer |
250004773
|
Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/bg-7-1615-2010.pdf |
|
|
|
Zusammenfassung |
With the accumulation of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), a
proceeding decline in seawater pH has been induced that is referred to as
ocean acidification. The ocean's capacity for CO2 storage is strongly
affected by biological processes, whose feedback potential is difficult to
evaluate. The main source of CO2 in the ocean is the decomposition and
subsequent respiration of organic molecules by heterotrophic bacteria.
However, very little is known about potential effects of ocean acidification
on bacterial degradation activity. This study reveals that the degradation
of polysaccharides, a major component of marine organic matter, by bacterial
extracellular enzymes was significantly accelerated during experimental
simulation of ocean acidification. Results were obtained from pH
perturbation experiments, where rates of extracellular α- and
β-glucosidase were measured and the loss of neutral and acidic sugars from
phytoplankton-derived polysaccharides was determined. Our study suggests
that a faster bacterial turnover of polysaccharides at lowered ocean pH has
the potential to reduce carbon export and to enhance the respiratory
CO2 production in the future ocean. |
|
|
Teil von |
|
|
|
|
|
|