The role of bacteria and algae in the balance of life in the sea (and on land)
Is it true that half of the oxygen we breathe is produced in the sea? The cycle of life inevitably involves creation and destruction. Organisms are born, grow, reproduce (with some luck), and die. In nature, death means an increase in the survival probabilities of someone else. Plankton are no exception to these basic rules of life. In fact, the members of the plankton take these rules to such an extreme that many times their communities (especially those in nutrient-poor waters) are maintained by recycling excretions and the remains of corpses. This recycling allows life to continue, although not eternally; a small allochthonous input of nutrients is always needed from time to time to reinvigorate the ecosystem. [...]
Main Author: | |
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Format: | entrada de blog biblioteca |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2022-10-14
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Subjects: | Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/306558 |
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Summary: | Is it true that half of the oxygen we breathe is produced in the sea?
The cycle of life inevitably involves creation and destruction. Organisms are born, grow, reproduce (with some luck), and die. In nature, death means an increase in the survival probabilities of someone else. Plankton are no exception to these basic rules of life. In fact, the members of the plankton take these rules to such an extreme that many times their communities (especially those in nutrient-poor waters) are maintained by recycling excretions and the remains of corpses. This recycling allows life to continue, although not eternally; a small allochthonous input of nutrients is always needed from time to time to reinvigorate the ecosystem. [...] |
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