Marine non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs: moving beyond molecular detection

Deniz Bombar; Ryan William Paerl; Lasse Riemann

doi:10.1016/j.tim.2016.07.002

Marine non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs: moving beyond molecular detection

Deniz Bombar, Ryan William Paerl, Lasse Riemann

Marine Biology

68 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The nitrogen input through biological N₂ fixation is essential for life in vast areas of the global ocean. The belief is that cyanobacteria are the only relevant N₂-fixing (diazotrophic) organisms. It has, however, now become evident that non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs, bacteria and archaea with ecologies fundamentally distinct from those of cyanobacteria, are widespread and occasionally fix N₂ at significant rates. The documentation of a globally relevant nitrogen input from these diazotrophs would constitute a new paradigm for research on oceanic nitrogen cycling. Here we highlight the need for combining rate measurements and molecular analyses of field samples with cultivation studies in order to clarify the ecology of non-cyanobacteria and their contribution to marine N₂ fixation on local and global scales.

Original language	English
Journal	Trends in Microbiology
Volume	24
Issue number	11
Pages (from-to)	916-927
Number of pages	12
ISSN	0966-842X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2016.07.002
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2016

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title = "Marine non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs: moving beyond molecular detection",

abstract = "The nitrogen input through biological N2 fixation is essential for life in vast areas of the global ocean. The belief is that cyanobacteria are the only relevant N2-fixing (diazotrophic) organisms. It has, however, now become evident that non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs, bacteria and archaea with ecologies fundamentally distinct from those of cyanobacteria, are widespread and occasionally fix N2 at significant rates. The documentation of a globally relevant nitrogen input from these diazotrophs would constitute a new paradigm for research on oceanic nitrogen cycling. Here we highlight the need for combining rate measurements and molecular analyses of field samples with cultivation studies in order to clarify the ecology of non-cyanobacteria and their contribution to marine N2 fixation on local and global scales.",

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AU - Bombar, Deniz

AU - Paerl, Ryan William

AU - Riemann, Lasse

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Y1 - 2016/11/1

N2 - The nitrogen input through biological N2 fixation is essential for life in vast areas of the global ocean. The belief is that cyanobacteria are the only relevant N2-fixing (diazotrophic) organisms. It has, however, now become evident that non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs, bacteria and archaea with ecologies fundamentally distinct from those of cyanobacteria, are widespread and occasionally fix N2 at significant rates. The documentation of a globally relevant nitrogen input from these diazotrophs would constitute a new paradigm for research on oceanic nitrogen cycling. Here we highlight the need for combining rate measurements and molecular analyses of field samples with cultivation studies in order to clarify the ecology of non-cyanobacteria and their contribution to marine N2 fixation on local and global scales.

AB - The nitrogen input through biological N2 fixation is essential for life in vast areas of the global ocean. The belief is that cyanobacteria are the only relevant N2-fixing (diazotrophic) organisms. It has, however, now become evident that non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs, bacteria and archaea with ecologies fundamentally distinct from those of cyanobacteria, are widespread and occasionally fix N2 at significant rates. The documentation of a globally relevant nitrogen input from these diazotrophs would constitute a new paradigm for research on oceanic nitrogen cycling. Here we highlight the need for combining rate measurements and molecular analyses of field samples with cultivation studies in order to clarify the ecology of non-cyanobacteria and their contribution to marine N2 fixation on local and global scales.

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JO - Trends in Microbiology

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Marine non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs: moving beyond molecular detection

Abstract

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