Like most algae, coccolite can carry out photosynthesis and use the energy of the sun to make food. However, the impact of an asteroid is thought to cover the earth in darkness for months, which is a "death sentence" for most photosynthetic organisms in the world. Together with other influences, this led to the extinction of more than 90% species in coccolith, and coccolith is some of the most influential creatures in the ocean. However, other species have stood the test.
As part of the new research, the research team conducted laboratory experiments, which showed that some coccidiosis could survive without light. This shows that these creatures must have another way to produce the energy and carbon they need.
Jelena Gaudry Young, the first author of the paper, said: "We have been stuck in the paradigm that algae are just photosynthetic organisms. For a long time, their ability to eat in other ways has been ignored." As a postdoctoral scientist, he conducted this research in Bigelow Laboratory. "It's amazing for me to let coccidiosis grow and survive in the dark, especially when you think about how animals like dinosaurs managed to survive when they couldn't."
This study reveals how some species in this stone use previously unknown organic compounds as carbon sources instead of carbon dioxide commonly used by plants. They can treat dissolved organic compounds and use them immediately during infiltration. These findings may explain how these creatures survive in dark conditions, such as after an asteroid impact or in the depths of the ocean where sunlight can shine.
The study, published in the journal New Botanist, was written by two other researchers in Biglow Laboratory, namely William balch, a senior research scientist, and David Drapeau, a senior research assistant. It has a far-reaching impact on marine life.
Stone is indispensable in controlling the global ocean and atmosphere, including the carbon cycle. They absorb dissolved carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and when they die, the carbon dioxide is transported to the bottom of the sea.
Balch said: "This is very important for the distribution of carbon dioxide on the earth. If we don't have this biological carbon pump, the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere will be much higher than it is now, and it may be more than twice as high as it is now. "
Pebble also plays an important role in alleviating ocean acidity, which will have a negative impact on shellfish and corals. These unicellular algae remove carbon from water and build protective mineral plates made of limestone around them. When they die, these mineral plates will sink. This process effectively pumps alkalinity into the depths of the ocean, which chemically enhances the ability of water to resist becoming more acidic.
New research shows that these algae also absorb carbon from deeper water, which was not realized before. This may link the stone with a series of new global processes and raise fundamental questions about their role in the ocean.
Balch said, "Coccolite is integrated into the global circulation in a way that we never imagined. This study really changed my mind about food webs in dark areas, where photosynthesis obviously didn't happen. It changed the paradigm. "
Next, the researchers hope to conduct marine experiments to observe how coccidiosis absorbs nutrients in the natural environment, especially in the dark. Godrijan hopes that her work will help reveal more about this creature, its importance and its complex functions on our planet.
Godrijan said: "Coccolites are tiny creatures, but their influence on all life is so great that most people don't even realize it." Seeing that such a small matter can have such a great impact on the earth brings hope to our own lives. "