Marine snow consists of organic debris that transports carbon to ocean depths, where it can be sequestered for millennia. Researchers discovered that bacteria adhering to these particles consume calcium carbonate, a mineral critical for sinking speed and depth.
This bacterial degradation reduces marine snow’s sinking rate, causing particles to dissolve sooner and decreasing deep-sea carbon burial efficiency. These findings, documented in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, refine understanding of ocean carbon cycling and implications for climate models, though further ecological confirmation is needed.
Source & further reading
Understanding how “marine snow” acts as a carbon sink ↗Source published 2026-03-09. This report was prepared with AI assistance from the linked primary-source material. Claims and limitations should be checked against the original announcement or research.