Irradiance-normalized non-photochemical quenching (NPQ): a new proxy of iron stress for phytoplankton
Ryan-Keogh and his colleagues used NPQ to fingerprint the photo-physiological response of phytoplankton to their environment.
Phytoplankton
Trace metal quotas in small flagellates: diatoms are challenged!
Sofen and colleagues found that in natural plankton assemblages and in culture, small flagellates operated at the lower range of iron quotas.
First direct measurements of luxury iron uptake in natural phytoplankton communities: surprising results!
This study demonstrates the importance of biology and ecology to understanding iron biogeochemistry.
Diatoms use a stolen bacterial gene to commit iron piracy
Joint Science Highlight with US-Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry (US-OCB). Much of the primary production in low-iron marine environments is carried out by diatoms, and therefore the details of how these […]
Drawing the future of phytoplankton in a changing ocean
Phytoplankton development is strongly linked to the dissolved iron availability in the surface waters. Iron’s behavior is sensitive to warming, stratification, acidification and de-oxygenation. In a changing ocean, these processes […]
Metal contents of North Atlantic phytoplankton across environmental gradients
Twining and co-workers (2015, see reference below) provide the first direct measurements of metal quotas in phytoplankton from across the North Atlantic Ocean (US GEOTRACES GA03), known to be subjected […]
When direct mapping of diatoms reveals unexpected fate of trace metals in the twilight zone
Twining and co-authors (2014, see reference below) used synchrotron x-ray fluorescence mapping to measure macronutrients such phosphorus (P), sulphur (S), and silicon (Si), and also trace metals like iron (Fe), […]
Arsenic detoxification by phytoplankton reveals that arsenic species could be good proxies of phosphorus limitation
Some phytoplankton species have the capacity to modify surface water arsenic speciation, inhibiting its toxicity. Such detoxification is operative in oligotrophic waters when phosphate concentrations are below those for arsenic […]