News Oceans

In the deep ocean, these bacteria play a key role in trapping carbon

The organisms oxidize the nitrogen compound nitrite to “fix” inorganic carbon dioxide

ocean water samples

DEEP FIXERS  Scientists collected ocean water at different depths using this rosette (center), revealing that an abundant group of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria called Nitrospinae dominate carbon “fixation” in the deep ocean.

Mar Nieto-Cid

By Carolyn Gramling

- More than 2 years ago

A mysterious group of microbes may be controlling the fate of carbon in the dark depths of the world’s oceans.