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THE POSSIBLE OCCURRENCE OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC MICROORGANISMS IN DEEP‐SEA SEDIMENTS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC 1, 2, 3
Author(s) -
Malone T. C.,
Garside C.,
Anderson R.,
Roels O. A.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8817.1973.tb04124.x
Subject(s) - biology , diatom , microorganism , oceanography , littoral zone , photosynthesis , bloom , algae , turbidity , nitrate , phytoplankton , botany , sediment , deep sea , ecology , nutrient , environmental chemistry , bacteria , geology , paleontology , chemistry , fishery
SUMMARY An assemblage of 12 diatom species and other photosynthetic microorganisms associated with red clay sediments collected from a depth of 6150 m in the North Atlantic was observed to bloom in Antarctic bottom water when exposed to sunlight at sea surface temperature. Although no growth could be detected over the first 3 days of the experiment, nitrate was nearly completely stripped from the water. The maximum growth rate of 4.7 doubling/day was reached between days 4 and 5. Most of the diatom species have been described as littoral or coastal forms, and it is suggested that these organisms are transported to depth by fecal material, turbidity currents, or a combination of the two.