Warming climate could turn ocean plankton microbes into carbon emitters

The mixotrophic protist Paramecium bursaria can eat bacteria or use photosynthesis to get energy and carbon. Photosynthesis occurs inside the endosymbiotic Chlorella algae that live inside P bursaria cells. Credit: Daniel Wieczynski

Dr. Daniel Wieczynski of Duke University and lead author of the study said,"Our findings reveal mixotrophic microbes are much more important players in ecosystem responses tothan previously thought. By converting microbial communities to net carbon dioxide sources in response to warming, mixotrophs could further accelerate warming by creating a positive feedback loop between the biosphere and the atmosphere.

The mixotrophic protist Paramecium bursaria can eat bacteria or use photosynthesis to get energy and carbon. Photosynthesis occurs inside the endosymbiotic Chlorella algae that live inside P bursaria cells. Credit: Daniel Wieczynski, CC BY, their abundance starts to fluctuate wildly. These changes could be detected in nature by monitoring mixotrophic microbe abundance and offers hope that these microbes could act as early warning signals for climate change tipping points.

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