All articles tagged with #marine algae
From 2003 to 2021, Earth's land ecosystems became more productive in photosynthesis, absorbing more carbon, while marine algae, especially in tropical waters, declined, highlighting a shift in the planet's ecological balance and the importance of integrated land-ocean monitoring for climate change mitigation.
Scientists have discovered a marine algae species containing an organelle capable of harvesting nitrogen from the atmosphere, a trait previously thought to be exclusive to symbiotic bacteria. This ability likely originated from an endosymbiotic relationship where a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium was engulfed by an ancestral marine algal cell, eventually becoming reliant on the algae for support. This discovery challenges linear notions of evolution and has implications for agriculture and marine science, as the nitrogen-fixing structure is likely a major contributor to the ocean's protein production.