Articles | Volume 12, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-863-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-863-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
12 Feb 2015
Research article |
| 12 Feb 2015
New highlights of phytolith structure and occluded carbon location: 3-D X-ray microscopy and NanoSIMS results
Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Géosciences de l'Environnement (UMR 7330), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Europôle méditerranéen de l'Arbois BP 80, 13545 Aix en Provence CEDEX 04, France
I. Basile-Doelsch
Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Géosciences de l'Environnement (UMR 7330), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Europôle méditerranéen de l'Arbois BP 80, 13545 Aix en Provence CEDEX 04, France
T. Delhaye
Plateforme NanoSIMS, OSUR, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes CEDEX, France
D. Borshneck
Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Géosciences de l'Environnement (UMR 7330), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Europôle méditerranéen de l'Arbois BP 80, 13545 Aix en Provence CEDEX 04, France
J. C. Mazur
Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Géosciences de l'Environnement (UMR 7330), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Europôle méditerranéen de l'Arbois BP 80, 13545 Aix en Provence CEDEX 04, France
P. Reyerson
Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 550 North Park Street, Madison, WI 53706, USA
G. M. Santos
Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, B321 Croul Hall, Irvine, CA 92697-3100, USA
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Biogeosciences, 20, 2161–2187, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2161-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2161-2023, 2023
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Data on past relative humidity (RH) ARE needed to improve its representation in Earth system models. A novel isotope parameter (17O-excess) of plant silica has been developed to quantify past RH. Using comprehensive monitoring and novel methods, we show how environmental and plant physiological parameters influence the 17O-excess of plant silica and leaf water, i.e. its source water. The insights gained from this study will help to improve estimates of RH from fossil plant silica deposits.
Philip Meister, Anne Alexandre, Hannah Bailey, Philip Barker, Boris K. Biskaborn, Ellie Broadman, Rosine Cartier, Bernhard Chapligin, Martine Couapel, Jonathan R. Dean, Bernhard Diekmann, Poppy Harding, Andrew C. G. Henderson, Armand Hernandez, Ulrike Herzschuh, Svetlana S. Kostrova, Jack Lacey, Melanie J. Leng, Andreas Lücke, Anson W. Mackay, Eniko Katalin Magyari, Biljana Narancic, Cécile Porchier, Gunhild Rosqvist, Aldo Shemesh, Corinne Sonzogni, George E. A. Swann, Florence Sylvestre, and Hanno Meyer
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Atoms of the element Oxygen exists in different varieties which have slightly different masses and behave differently in the global water cycle during e.g. rain formation and evaporation. Diatoms are microscopic algaea which use oxygen in building their shells and thereby store the oxygen signature of the water they live in. We have compiled and analyzed previously published data from diatoms from lake sediments around the globe and found common patterns suggesting a common climate signal.
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Continental atmospheric humidity is a key climate parameter poorly captured by global climate models. Model–data comparison approaches that are applicable beyond the instrumental period are essential to progress on this issue but face a lack of quantitative relative humidity proxies. Here, we calibrate the triple oxygen isotope composition of phytoliths as a new quantitative proxy of continental relative humidity suitable for past climate reconstructions.
Anne Alexandre, Elizabeth Webb, Amaelle Landais, Clément Piel, Sébastien Devidal, Corinne Sonzogni, Martine Couapel, Jean-Charles Mazur, Monique Pierre, Frédéric Prié, Christine Vallet-Coulomb, Clément Outrequin, and Jacques Roy
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This calibration study shows that despite isotope heterogeneity along grass leaves, the triple oxygen isotope composition of bulk leaf phytoliths can be estimated from the Craig and Gordon model, a mixing equation and a mean leaf water–phytolith fractionation exponent (lambda) of 0.521. The results strengthen the reliability of the 17O–excess of phytoliths to be used as a proxy of atmospheric relative humidity and open tracks for its use as an imprint of leaf water 17O–excess.
Rosine Cartier, Florence Sylvestre, Christine Paillès, Corinne Sonzogni, Martine Couapel, Anne Alexandre, Jean-Charles Mazur, Elodie Brisset, Cécile Miramont, and Frédéric Guiter
Clim. Past, 15, 253–263, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-15-253-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-15-253-2019, 2019
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A major environmental change, 4200 years ago, was recorded in the lacustrine sediments of Lake Petit (Mediterranean Alps). The regime shift was described by a modification in erosion processes in the watershed and aquatic species in the lake. This study, based on the analysis of the lake water balance by using oxygen isotopes in diatoms, revealed that these environmental responses were due to a rapid change in precipitation regime, lasting ca. 500 years.
Anne Alexandre, Amarelle Landais, Christine Vallet-Coulomb, Clément Piel, Sébastien Devidal, Sandrine Pauchet, Corinne Sonzogni, Martine Couapel, Marine Pasturel, Pauline Cornuault, Jingming Xin, Jean-Charles Mazur, Frédéric Prié, Ilhem Bentaleb, Elizabeth Webb, Françoise Chalié, and Jacques Roy
Biogeosciences, 15, 3223–3241, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3223-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3223-2018, 2018
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There is a lack of proxies suitable for reconstructing, in a quantitative way, past changes in continental atmospheric humidity, which is a key climate parameter. Here, we demonstrate through climate chamber and climate transect calibrations that the triple oxygen isotope composition of phytoliths offers a potential for reconstructing changes in relative humidity.
Anne Alexandre, Jérôme Balesdent, Patrick Cazevieille, Claire Chevassus-Rosset, Patrick Signoret, Jean-Charles Mazur, Araks Harutyunyan, Emmanuel Doelsch, Isabelle Basile-Doelsch, Hélène Miche, and Guaciara M. Santos
Biogeosciences, 13, 1693–1703, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1693-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1693-2016, 2016
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This 13C labeling experiment demonstrates that carbon can be absorbed by the roots, translocated in the plant, and ultimately fixed in organic compounds subject to occlusion in silica particles that form inside plant cells (phytoliths). Plausible forms of carbon absorbed, translocated, and fixed in phytoliths are assessed. Implications for our understanding of the C cycle at the plant-soil-atmosphere interface are discussed.
Paul E. Reyerson, Anne Alexandre, Araks Harutyunyan, Remi Corbineau, Hector A. Martinez De La Torre, Franz Badeck, Luigi Cattivelli, and Guaciara M. Santos
Biogeosciences, 13, 1269–1286, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1269-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1269-2016, 2016
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We characterize the origin of carbon (C) in phytoliths (biosilica of higher plants) by a multi-isotope approach. We show that phytoliths occlude soil organic C adsorbed through the roots, making them unsuitable for paleo-proxy studies, 14C dating or atmospheric CO2 sequestration. Our findings are in parallel with recent soil paradigm shifts showing that soil microbes access old C and therefore call for further investigations on the role of old C in root–plant interactions and biomineralization.
M. C. Matteuzzo, A. Alexandre, A. F. D. C. Varajão, C. Volkmer-Ribeiro, A. C. S. Almeida, C. A. C. Varajão, C. Vallet-Coulomb, C. Sonzogni, and H. Miche
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-10-12887-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-10-12887-2013, 2013
Revised manuscript not accepted
Claudia Voigt, Anne Alexandre, Ilja M. Reiter, Jean-Philippe Orts, Christine Vallet-Coulomb, Clément Piel, Jean-Charles Mazur, Julie C. Aleman, Corinne Sonzogni, Helene Miche, and Jérôme Ogée
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Short summary
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Data on past relative humidity (RH) ARE needed to improve its representation in Earth system models. A novel isotope parameter (17O-excess) of plant silica has been developed to quantify past RH. Using comprehensive monitoring and novel methods, we show how environmental and plant physiological parameters influence the 17O-excess of plant silica and leaf water, i.e. its source water. The insights gained from this study will help to improve estimates of RH from fossil plant silica deposits.
Philip Meister, Anne Alexandre, Hannah Bailey, Philip Barker, Boris K. Biskaborn, Ellie Broadman, Rosine Cartier, Bernhard Chapligin, Martine Couapel, Jonathan R. Dean, Bernhard Diekmann, Poppy Harding, Andrew C. G. Henderson, Armand Hernandez, Ulrike Herzschuh, Svetlana S. Kostrova, Jack Lacey, Melanie J. Leng, Andreas Lücke, Anson W. Mackay, Eniko Katalin Magyari, Biljana Narancic, Cécile Porchier, Gunhild Rosqvist, Aldo Shemesh, Corinne Sonzogni, George E. A. Swann, Florence Sylvestre, and Hanno Meyer
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Preprint under review for CP
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Atoms of the element Oxygen exists in different varieties which have slightly different masses and behave differently in the global water cycle during e.g. rain formation and evaporation. Diatoms are microscopic algaea which use oxygen in building their shells and thereby store the oxygen signature of the water they live in. We have compiled and analyzed previously published data from diatoms from lake sediments around the globe and found common patterns suggesting a common climate signal.
Solène Quéro, Christine Hatté, Sophie Cornu, Adrien Duvivier, Nithavong Cam, Floriane Jamoteau, Daniel Borschneck, and Isabelle Basile-Doelsch
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Continental atmospheric humidity is a key climate parameter poorly captured by global climate models. Model–data comparison approaches that are applicable beyond the instrumental period are essential to progress on this issue but face a lack of quantitative relative humidity proxies. Here, we calibrate the triple oxygen isotope composition of phytoliths as a new quantitative proxy of continental relative humidity suitable for past climate reconstructions.
Lin Huang, Wendy Zhang, Guaciara M. Santos, Blanca T. Rodríguez, Sandra R. Holden, Vincent Vetro, and Claudia I. Czimczik
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Radiocarbon (14C)-based source apportionment of aerosol carbon fractions requires the physical separation of OC from EC and minimizing of the incorporation of extraneous carbon. Using pure and mixed reference materials ranging in age from modern to fossil, we show that the ECT9 protocol effectively isolates OC and EC. This work expands existing opportunities for characterizing and monitoring sources of carbonaceous aerosols, including µg C-sized samples from the Arctic.
Isabelle Basile-Doelsch, Jérôme Balesdent, and Sylvain Pellerin
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The 4 per 1000 initiative aims to restore carbon storage in soils to both mitigate climate change and contribute to food security. The French National Institute for Agricultural Research conducted a study to determine the carbon storage potential in French soils and associated costs. This paper is a part of that study. It reviews recent advances concerning the mechanisms that controls C stabilization in soils. Synthetic figures integrating new concepts should be of pedagogical interest.
Anne Alexandre, Elizabeth Webb, Amaelle Landais, Clément Piel, Sébastien Devidal, Corinne Sonzogni, Martine Couapel, Jean-Charles Mazur, Monique Pierre, Frédéric Prié, Christine Vallet-Coulomb, Clément Outrequin, and Jacques Roy
Biogeosciences, 16, 4613–4625, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-4613-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-4613-2019, 2019
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This calibration study shows that despite isotope heterogeneity along grass leaves, the triple oxygen isotope composition of bulk leaf phytoliths can be estimated from the Craig and Gordon model, a mixing equation and a mean leaf water–phytolith fractionation exponent (lambda) of 0.521. The results strengthen the reliability of the 17O–excess of phytoliths to be used as a proxy of atmospheric relative humidity and open tracks for its use as an imprint of leaf water 17O–excess.
Tak W. Chan, Lin Huang, Kulbir Banwait, Wendy Zhang, Darrell Ernst, Xiaoliang Wang, John G. Watson, Judith C. Chow, Mark Green, Claudia I. Czimczik, Guaciara M. Santos, Sangeeta Sharma, and Keith Jones
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 4543–4560, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-4543-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-4543-2019, 2019
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This study compared 10 years of carbonaceous aerosol measurements collected at Egbert by three North American long-term monitoring networks. The study evaluated how differences in sample collection and analysis affected the concentrations of total carbon (TC), organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC). Various carbonaceous fractions measured by the three networks were consistent and comparable over the period. Elevated OC and EC were observed when ambient temperature exceeded 10 °C.
Rosine Cartier, Florence Sylvestre, Christine Paillès, Corinne Sonzogni, Martine Couapel, Anne Alexandre, Jean-Charles Mazur, Elodie Brisset, Cécile Miramont, and Frédéric Guiter
Clim. Past, 15, 253–263, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-15-253-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-15-253-2019, 2019
Short summary
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A major environmental change, 4200 years ago, was recorded in the lacustrine sediments of Lake Petit (Mediterranean Alps). The regime shift was described by a modification in erosion processes in the watershed and aquatic species in the lake. This study, based on the analysis of the lake water balance by using oxygen isotopes in diatoms, revealed that these environmental responses were due to a rapid change in precipitation regime, lasting ca. 500 years.
Anne Alexandre, Amarelle Landais, Christine Vallet-Coulomb, Clément Piel, Sébastien Devidal, Sandrine Pauchet, Corinne Sonzogni, Martine Couapel, Marine Pasturel, Pauline Cornuault, Jingming Xin, Jean-Charles Mazur, Frédéric Prié, Ilhem Bentaleb, Elizabeth Webb, Françoise Chalié, and Jacques Roy
Biogeosciences, 15, 3223–3241, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3223-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3223-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
There is a lack of proxies suitable for reconstructing, in a quantitative way, past changes in continental atmospheric humidity, which is a key climate parameter. Here, we demonstrate through climate chamber and climate transect calibrations that the triple oxygen isotope composition of phytoliths offers a potential for reconstructing changes in relative humidity.
Pierre Barré, Denis A. Angers, Isabelle Basile-Doelsch, Antonio Bispo, Lauric Cécillon, Claire Chenu, Tiphaine Chevallier, Delphine Derrien, Thomas K. Eglin, and Sylvain Pellerin
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-395, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-395, 2017
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
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Soil C storage is currently discussed at a high political level. This paper discusses whether the concept of soil C saturation deficit can be appropriate to determine quantitatively the soil C storage potential and contribute to answer operational questions raised by policy makers. After a review of the literature, we conclude that for practical and conceptual reasons, the C saturation deficit is not appropriate for assessing quantitatively the soil total OC storage potential.
Anne Alexandre, Jérôme Balesdent, Patrick Cazevieille, Claire Chevassus-Rosset, Patrick Signoret, Jean-Charles Mazur, Araks Harutyunyan, Emmanuel Doelsch, Isabelle Basile-Doelsch, Hélène Miche, and Guaciara M. Santos
Biogeosciences, 13, 1693–1703, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1693-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1693-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
This 13C labeling experiment demonstrates that carbon can be absorbed by the roots, translocated in the plant, and ultimately fixed in organic compounds subject to occlusion in silica particles that form inside plant cells (phytoliths). Plausible forms of carbon absorbed, translocated, and fixed in phytoliths are assessed. Implications for our understanding of the C cycle at the plant-soil-atmosphere interface are discussed.
Paul E. Reyerson, Anne Alexandre, Araks Harutyunyan, Remi Corbineau, Hector A. Martinez De La Torre, Franz Badeck, Luigi Cattivelli, and Guaciara M. Santos
Biogeosciences, 13, 1269–1286, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1269-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1269-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We characterize the origin of carbon (C) in phytoliths (biosilica of higher plants) by a multi-isotope approach. We show that phytoliths occlude soil organic C adsorbed through the roots, making them unsuitable for paleo-proxy studies, 14C dating or atmospheric CO2 sequestration. Our findings are in parallel with recent soil paradigm shifts showing that soil microbes access old C and therefore call for further investigations on the role of old C in root–plant interactions and biomineralization.
G. O. Mouteva, S. M. Fahrni, G. M. Santos, J. T. Randerson, Y.-L. Zhang, S. Szidat, and C. I. Czimczik
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3729–3743, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3729-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3729-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We describe a stepwise uncertainty analysis of 14C measurements of organic (OC) and elemental (EC) carbon fractions of aerosols. Using the Swiss_4S thermal-optical protocol with a newly established trapping setup, we show that we can efficiently isolate and trap each carbon fraction and perform 14C analysis of ultra-small OC and EC samples with high accuracy and low 14C blanks. Our study presents a first step towards the development of a common protocol for OC and EC 14C measurements.
M. C. Matteuzzo, A. Alexandre, A. F. D. C. Varajão, C. Volkmer-Ribeiro, A. C. S. Almeida, C. A. C. Varajão, C. Vallet-Coulomb, C. Sonzogni, and H. Miche
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-10-12887-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-10-12887-2013, 2013
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Kristian Spilling, Jonna Piiparinen, Eric P. Achterberg, Javier Arístegui, Lennart T. Bach, Maria T. Camarena-Gómez, Elisabeth von der Esch, Martin A. Fischer, Markel Gómez-Letona, Nauzet Hernández-Hernández, Judith Meyer, Ruth A. Schmitz, and Ulf Riebesell
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We carried out an enclosure experiment using surface water off Peru with different additions of oxygen minimum zone water. In this paper, we report on enzyme activity and provide data on the decomposition of organic matter. We found very high activity with respect to an enzyme breaking down protein, suggesting that this is important for nutrient recycling both at present and in the future ocean.
Thomas Letulle, Danièle Gaspard, Mathieu Daëron, Florent Arnaud-Godet, Arnauld Vinçon-Laugier, Guillaume Suan, and Christophe Lécuyer
Biogeosciences, 20, 1381–1403, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1381-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1381-2023, 2023
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This paper studies the chemistry of modern marine shells called brachiopods. We investigate the relationship of the chemistry of these shells with sea temperatures to test and develop tools for estimating sea temperatures in the distant past. Our results confirm that two of the investigated chemical markers could be useful thermometers despite some second-order variability independent of temperature. The other chemical markers investigated, however, should not be used as a thermometer.
Franziska Tell, Lukas Jonkers, Julie Meilland, and Michal Kucera
Biogeosciences, 19, 4903–4927, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4903-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4903-2022, 2022
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This study analyses the production of calcite shells formed by one of the main Arctic pelagic calcifiers, the foraminifera N. pachyderma. Using vertically resolved profiles of shell concentration, size and weight, we show that calcification occurs throughout the upper 300 m with an average production flux below the calcification zone of 8 mg CaCO3 m−2 d−1 representing 23 % of the total pelagic biogenic carbonate production. The production flux is attenuated in the twilight zone by dissolution.
Paweł Działak, Marcin D. Syczewski, Kamil Kornaus, Mirosław Słowakiewicz, Łukasz Zych, and Andrzej Borkowski
Biogeosciences, 19, 4533–4550, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4533-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4533-2022, 2022
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Bacteriophages comprise one of the factors that may influence mineralization processes. The number of bacteriophages in the environment usually exceeds the number of bacteria by an order of magnitude. One of the more interesting processes is the formation of framboidal pyrite, and it is not entirely clear what processes determine its formation. Our studies indicate that some bacterial viruses may influence the formation of framboid-like or spherical structures.
Philipp M. Spreter, Markus Reuter, Regina Mertz-Kraus, Oliver Taylor, and Thomas C. Brachert
Biogeosciences, 19, 3559–3573, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3559-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3559-2022, 2022
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We investigate the calcification rate of reef corals from an upwelling zone, where low seawater pH and high nutrient concentrations represent a recent analogue for the future ocean. Calcification rate of the corals largely relies on extension growth. Variable responses of extension growth to nutrients either compensate or exacerbate negative effects of weak skeletal thickening associated with low seawater pH – a mechanism that is critical for the persistence of coral reefs under global change.
Giulia Piazza, Valentina A. Bracchi, Antonio Langone, Agostino N. Meroni, and Daniela Basso
Biogeosciences, 19, 1047–1065, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1047-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1047-2022, 2022
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The coralline alga Lithothamnion corallioides is widely distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and NE Atlantic Ocean, where it constitutes rhodolith beds, which are diversity-rich ecosystems on the seabed. The boron incorporated in the calcified thallus of coralline algae (B/Ca) can be used to trace past changes in seawater carbonate and pH. This paper suggests a non-negligible effect of algal growth rate on B/Ca, recommending caution in adopting this proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
Sarina Schmidt, Ed C. Hathorne, Joachim Schönfeld, and Dieter Garbe-Schönberg
Biogeosciences, 19, 629–664, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-629-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-629-2022, 2022
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The study addresses the potential of marine shell-forming organisms as proxy carriers for heavy metal contamination in the environment. The aim is to investigate if the incorporation of heavy metals is a direct function of their concentration in seawater. Culturing experiments with a metal mixture were carried out over a wide concentration range. Our results show shell-forming organisms to be natural archives that enable the determination of metals in polluted and pristine environments.
Valentina Alice Bracchi, Giulia Piazza, and Daniela Basso
Biogeosciences, 18, 6061–6076, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6061-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6061-2021, 2021
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Ultrastructures of Lithothamnion corallioides, a crustose coralline alga collected from the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea at different depths, show high-Mg-calcite cell walls formed by crystals with a specific shape and orientation that are unaffected by different environmental conditions of the living sites. This suggests that the biomineralization process is biologically controlled in coralline algae and can have interesting applications in paleontology.
Trystan Sanders, Jörn Thomsen, Jens Daniel Müller, Gregor Rehder, and Frank Melzner
Biogeosciences, 18, 2573–2590, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2573-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2573-2021, 2021
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The Baltic Sea is expected to experience a rapid drop in salinity and increases in acidity and warming in the next century. Calcifying mussels dominate Baltic Sea seafloor ecosystems yet are sensitive to changes in seawater chemistry. We combine laboratory experiments and a field study and show that a lack of calcium causes extremely slow growth rates in mussels at low salinities. Subsequently, climate change in the Baltic may have drastic ramifications for Baltic seafloor ecosystems.
Luc Beaufort, Yves Gally, Baptiste Suchéras-Marx, Patrick Ferrand, and Julien Duboisset
Biogeosciences, 18, 775–785, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-775-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-775-2021, 2021
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The coccoliths are major contributors to the particulate inorganic carbon in the ocean. They are extremely difficult to weigh because they are too small to be manipulated. We propose a universal method to measure thickness and weight of fine calcite using polarizing microscopy that does not require fine-tuning of the light or a calibration process. This method named "bidirectional circular polarization" uses two images taken with two directions of a circular polarizer.
Anna Piwoni-Piórewicz, Stanislav Strekopytov, Emma Humphreys-Williams, and Piotr Kukliński
Biogeosciences, 18, 707–728, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-707-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-707-2021, 2021
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Calcifying organisms occur globally in almost every environment, and the process of biomineralization is of great importance in the global carbon cycle and use of skeletons as environmental data archives. The composition of skeletons is very complex. It is determined by the mechanisms of biological control on biomineralization and the response of calcifying organisms to varying environmental drivers. Yet for trace elements, such as Cu, Pb and Cd, an impact of environmental factors is pronounced.
Siham de Goeyse, Alice E. Webb, Gert-Jan Reichart, and Lennart J. de Nooijer
Biogeosciences, 18, 393–401, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-393-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-393-2021, 2021
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Foraminifera are calcifying organisms that play a role in the marine inorganic-carbon cycle and are widely used to reconstruct paleoclimates. However, the fundamental process by which they calcify remains essentially unknown. Here we use inhibitors to show that an enzyme is speeding up the conversion between bicarbonate and CO2. This helps the foraminifera acquire sufficient carbon for calcification and might aid their tolerance to elevated CO2 level.
Anne Roepert, Lubos Polerecky, Esmee Geerken, Gert-Jan Reichart, and Jack J. Middelburg
Biogeosciences, 17, 4727–4743, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4727-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4727-2020, 2020
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We investigated, for the first time, the spatial distribution of chlorine and fluorine in the shell walls of four benthic foraminifera species: Ammonia tepida, Amphistegina lessonii, Archaias angulatus, and Sorites marginalis. Cross sections of specimens were imaged using nanoSIMS. The distribution of Cl and F was co-located with organics in the rotaliids and rather homogeneously distributed in miliolids. We suggest that the incorporation is governed by the biomineralization pathway.
Vincent Mouchi, Camille Godbillot, Vianney Forest, Alexey Ulianov, Franck Lartaud, Marc de Rafélis, Laurent Emmanuel, and Eric P. Verrecchia
Biogeosciences, 17, 2205–2217, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2205-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2205-2020, 2020
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Rare earth elements (REEs) in coastal seawater are included in bivalve shells during growth, and a regional fingerprint can be defined for provenance and environmental monitoring studies. We present a large dataset of REE abundances from oysters from six locations in France. The cupped oyster can be discriminated from one locality to another, but this is not the case for the flat oyster. Therefore, provenance studies using bivalve shells based on REEs are not adapted for the flat oyster.
Rosie L. Oakes and Jocelyn A. Sessa
Biogeosciences, 17, 1975–1990, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1975-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1975-2020, 2020
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Pteropods are a group of tiny swimming snails whose fragile shells put them at risk from ocean acidification. We investigated the factors influencing the thickness of pteropods shells in the Cariaco Basin, off Venezuela, which is unaffected by ocean acidification. We found that pteropods formed thicker shells when nutrient concentrations, an indicator of food availability, were highest, indicating that food may be an important factor in mitigating the effects of ocean acidification on pteropods.
Miguel Gómez Batista, Marc Metian, François Oberhänsli, Simon Pouil, Peter W. Swarzenski, Eric Tambutté, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Carlos M. Alonso Hernández, and Frédéric Gazeau
Biogeosciences, 17, 887–899, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-887-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-887-2020, 2020
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In this paper, we assessed four methods (total alkalinity anomaly, calcium anomaly, 45Ca incorporation, and 13C incorporation) to determine coral calcification of a reef-building coral. Under all conditions (light vs. dark incubations and ambient vs. lowered pH levels), calcification rates estimated using the alkalinity and calcium anomaly techniques as well as 45Ca incorporation were highly correlated, while significantly different results were obtained with the 13C incorporation technique.
Alan Marron, Lucie Cassarino, Jade Hatton, Paul Curnow, and Katharine R. Hendry
Biogeosciences, 16, 4805–4813, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-4805-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-4805-2019, 2019
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Isotopic signatures of silica fossils can be used as archives of past oceanic silicon cycling, which is linked to marine carbon uptake. However, the biochemistry that lies behind such chemical fingerprints remains poorly understood. We present the first measurements of silicon isotopes in a group of protists closely related to animals, choanoflagellates. Our results highlight a taxonomic basis to silica isotope signatures, possibly via a shared transport pathway in choanoflagellates and animals.
Laura M. Otter, Oluwatoosin B. A. Agbaje, Matt R. Kilburn, Christoph Lenz, Hadrien Henry, Patrick Trimby, Peter Hoppe, and Dorrit E. Jacob
Biogeosciences, 16, 3439–3455, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-3439-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-3439-2019, 2019
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This study uses strontium as a trace elemental marker in combination with high-resolution nano-analytical techniques to label the growth fronts of bivalves in controlled aquaculture conditions. The growing shells incorporate the labels and are used as
snapshotsvisualizing the growth processes across different shell architectures. These observations are combined with structural investigations across length scales and altogether allow for a detailed understanding of this shell.
Simon Michael Ritter, Margot Isenbeck-Schröter, Christian Scholz, Frank Keppler, Johannes Gescher, Lukas Klose, Nils Schorndorf, Jerónimo Avilés Olguín, Arturo González-González, and Wolfgang Stinnesbeck
Biogeosciences, 16, 2285–2305, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2285-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2285-2019, 2019
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Unique and spectacular under water speleothems termed as Hells Bells were recently reported from sinkholes (cenotes) of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. However, the mystery of their formation remained unresolved. Here, we present detailed geochemical analyses and delineate that the growth of Hells Bells results from a combination of biogeochemical processes and variable hydraulic conditions within the cenote.
Andrew C. Mitchell, Erika J. Espinosa-Ortiz, Stacy L. Parks, Adrienne J. Phillips, Alfred B. Cunningham, and Robin Gerlach
Biogeosciences, 16, 2147–2161, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2147-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2147-2019, 2019
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Microbially induced carbonate mineral precipitation (MICP) is a natural process that is also being investigated for subsurface engineering applications including radionuclide immobilization and microfracture plugging. We demonstrate that rates of MICP from microbial urea hydrolysis (ureolysis) vary with different bacterial strains, but rates are similar in both oxygenated and oxygen-free conditions. Ureolysis MICP is therefore a viable biotechnology in the predominately oxygen-free subsurface.
Inge van Dijk, Christine Barras, Lennart Jan de Nooijer, Aurélia Mouret, Esmee Geerken, Shai Oron, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 16, 2115–2130, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2115-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2115-2019, 2019
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Systematics in the incorporation of different elements in shells of marine organisms can be used to test calcification models and thus processes involved in precipitation of calcium carbonates. On different scales, we observe a covariation of sulfur and magnesium incorporation in shells of foraminifera, which provides insights into the mechanics behind shell formation. The observed patterns imply that all species of foraminifera actively take up calcium and carbon in a coupled process.
Eveline M. Mezger, Lennart J. de Nooijer, Jacqueline Bertlich, Jelle Bijma, Dirk Nürnberg, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 16, 1147–1165, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1147-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1147-2019, 2019
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Seawater salinity is an important factor when trying to reconstruct past ocean conditions. Foraminifera, small organisms living in the sea, produce shells that incorporate more Na at higher salinities. The accuracy of reconstructions depends on the fundamental understanding involved in the incorporation and preservation of the original Na of the shell. In this study, we unravel the Na composition of different components of the shell and describe the relative contribution of these components.
Hengchao Xu, Xiaotong Peng, Shijie Bai, Kaiwen Ta, Shouye Yang, Shuangquan Liu, Ho Bin Jang, and Zixiao Guo
Biogeosciences, 16, 949–960, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-949-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-949-2019, 2019
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Viruses have been acknowledged as important components of the marine system for the past 2 decades, but understanding of their role in the functioning of the geochemical cycle remains poor. Results show viral lysis of cyanobacteria can influence the carbonate equilibrium system remarkably and promotes the formation and precipitation of carbonate minerals. Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) and aragonite are evident in the lysate, implying that different precipitation processes have occurred.
Nicole M. J. Geerlings, Eva-Maria Zetsche, Silvia Hidalgo-Martinez, Jack J. Middelburg, and Filip J. R. Meysman
Biogeosciences, 16, 811–829, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-811-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-811-2019, 2019
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Multicellular cable bacteria form long filaments that can reach lengths of several centimeters. They affect the chemistry and mineralogy of their surroundings and vice versa. How the surroundings affect the cable bacteria is investigated. They show three different types of biomineral formation: (1) a polymer containing phosphorus in their cells, (2) a sheath of clay surrounding the surface of the filament and (3) the encrustation of a filament via a solid phase containing iron and phosphorus.
Facheng Ye, Hana Jurikova, Lucia Angiolini, Uwe Brand, Gaia Crippa, Daniela Henkel, Jürgen Laudien, Claas Hiebenthal, and Danijela Šmajgl
Biogeosciences, 16, 617–642, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-617-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-617-2019, 2019
Yukiko Nagai, Katsuyuki Uematsu, Chong Chen, Ryoji Wani, Jarosław Tyszka, and Takashi Toyofuku
Biogeosciences, 15, 6773–6789, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6773-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6773-2018, 2018
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We interpret detailed SEM and time-lapse observations of the calcification process in living foraminifera, which we reveal to be directly linked to the construction mechanism of organic membranes where the calcium carbonate precipitation takes place. We show that these membranes are a highly perforated outline is first woven by skeletal pseudopodia and then later overlaid by a layer of membranous pseudopodia to close the gaps. The chemical composition is related to these structures.
Agathe Martignier, Montserrat Filella, Kilian Pollok, Michael Melkonian, Michael Bensimon, François Barja, Falko Langenhorst, Jean-Michel Jaquet, and Daniel Ariztegui
Biogeosciences, 15, 6591–6605, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6591-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6591-2018, 2018
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The unicellular microalga Tetraselmis cordiformis (Chlorophyta) was recently discovered to form intracellular mineral inclusions, called micropearls, which had been previously overlooked. The present study shows that 10 Tetraselmis species out of the 12 tested share this biomineralization capacity, producing amorphous calcium carbonate inclusions often enriched in Sr. This novel biomineralization process can take place in marine, brackish or freshwater and is therefore a widespread phenomenon.
Ulrike Braeckman, Felix Janssen, Gaute Lavik, Marcus Elvert, Hannah Marchant, Caroline Buckner, Christina Bienhold, and Frank Wenzhöfer
Biogeosciences, 15, 6537–6557, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6537-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6537-2018, 2018
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Global warming has altered Arctic phytoplankton communities, with unknown effects on deep-sea communities that depend strongly on food produced at the surface. We compared the responses of Arctic deep-sea benthos to input of phytodetritus from diatoms and coccolithophorids. Coccolithophorid carbon was 5× less recycled than diatom carbon. The utilization of the coccolithophorid carbon may be less efficient, so a shift from diatom to coccolithophorid blooms could entail a delay in carbon cycling.
Hongrui Zhang, Heather Stoll, Clara Bolton, Xiaobo Jin, and Chuanlian Liu
Biogeosciences, 15, 4759–4775, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4759-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4759-2018, 2018
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The sinking speeds of coccoliths are relevant for laboratory methods to separate coccoliths for geochemical analysis. However, in the absence of estimates of coccolith settling velocity, previous implementations have depended mainly on time-consuming method development by trial and error. In this study, the sinking velocities of cocooliths were carefully measured for the first time. We also provide an estimation of coccolith sinking velocity by shape, which will make coccolith separation easier.
Justin Michael Whitaker, Sai Vanapalli, and Danielle Fortin
Biogeosciences, 15, 4367–4380, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4367-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4367-2018, 2018
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Materials, like soils or cements, can require repair. This study used a new bacterium (Sporosarcina ureae) in a repair method called "microbially induced carbonate precipitation" (MICP). In three trials, benefits were shown: S. ureae could make a model sandy soil much stronger by MICP, in fact better than a lot of other bacteria. However, MICP-treated samples got weaker in three trials of acid rain. In conclusion, S. ureae in MICP repair shows promise when used in appropriate climates.
Esmee Geerken, Lennart Jan de Nooijer, Inge van Dijk, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 15, 2205–2218, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2205-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2205-2018, 2018
Jörn Thomsen, Kirti Ramesh, Trystan Sanders, Markus Bleich, and Frank Melzner
Biogeosciences, 15, 1469–1482, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1469-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1469-2018, 2018
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The distribution of mussel in estuaries is limited but the mechanisms are not well understood. We document for the first time that reduced Ca2+ concentration in the low saline, brackish Baltic Sea affects the ability of mussel larvae to calcify the first larval shell. As complete formation of the shell is a prerequisite for successful development, impaired calcification during this sensitive life stage can have detrimental effects on the species' ability to colonize habitats.
Sha Ni, Isabelle Taubner, Florian Böhm, Vera Winde, and Michael E. Böttcher
Biogeosciences, 15, 1425–1445, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1425-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1425-2018, 2018
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Spirorbis tube worms are common epibionts on brown algae in the Baltic Sea. We made experiments with Spirorbis in the
Kiel Outdoor Benthocosmsat CO2 and temperature conditions predicted for the year 2100. The worms were able to grow tubes even at CO2 levels favouring shell dissolution but did not survive at mean temperatures over 24° C. This indicates that Spirorbis worms will suffer from future excessive ocean warming and from ocean acidification fostering corrosion of their protective tubes.
Andrea C. Gerecht, Luka Šupraha, Gerald Langer, and Jorijntje Henderiks
Biogeosciences, 15, 833–845, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-833-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-833-2018, 2018
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Calcifying phytoplankton play an import role in long-term CO2 removal from the atmosphere. We therefore studied the ability of a representative species to continue sequestrating CO2 under future climate conditions. We show that CO2 sequestration is negatively affected by both an increase in temperature and the resulting decrease in nutrient availability. This will impact the biogeochemical cycle of carbon and may have a positive feedback on rising CO2 levels.
Merinda C. Nash and Walter Adey
Biogeosciences, 15, 781–795, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-781-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-781-2018, 2018
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Past seawater temperatures can be reconstructed using magnesium / calcium ratios of biogenic carbonates. As temperature increases, so does magnesium. Here we show that for these Arctic/subarctic coralline algae, anatomy is the first control on Mg / Ca, not temperature. When using coralline algae for temperature reconstruction, it is first necessary to check for anatomical influences on Mg / Ca.
Thomas M. DeCarlo, Juan P. D'Olivo, Taryn Foster, Michael Holcomb, Thomas Becker, and Malcolm T. McCulloch
Biogeosciences, 14, 5253–5269, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5253-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5253-2017, 2017
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We present a new technique to quantify the chemical conditions under which corals build their skeletons by analysing them with lasers at a very fine resolution, down to 1/100th the width of a human hair. Our first applications to laboratory-cultured and wild corals demonstrates the complex interplay among seawater conditions (temperature and acidity), calcifying fluid chemistry, and bulk skeleton accretion, which will define the sensitivity of coral calcification to 21st century climate change.
Giulia Faucher, Linn Hoffmann, Lennart T. Bach, Cinzia Bottini, Elisabetta Erba, and Ulf Riebesell
Biogeosciences, 14, 3603–3613, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3603-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3603-2017, 2017
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The main goal of this study was to understand if, similarly to the fossil record, high quantities of toxic metals induce coccolith dwarfism in coccolithophore species. We investigated, for the first time, the effects of trace metals on coccolithophore species other than E. huxleyi and on coccolith morphology and size. Our data show a species-specific sensitivity to trace metal concentration, allowing the recognition of the most-, intermediate- and least-tolerant taxa to trace metal enrichments.
Lennart J. de Nooijer, Anieke Brombacher, Antje Mewes, Gerald Langer, Gernot Nehrke, Jelle Bijma, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 14, 3387–3400, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3387-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3387-2017, 2017
Michael J. Henehan, David Evans, Madison Shankle, Janet E. Burke, Gavin L. Foster, Eleni Anagnostou, Thomas B. Chalk, Joseph A. Stewart, Claudia H. S. Alt, Joseph Durrant, and Pincelli M. Hull
Biogeosciences, 14, 3287–3308, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3287-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3287-2017, 2017
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It is still unclear whether foraminifera (calcifying plankton that play an important role in cycling carbon) will have difficulty in making their shells in more acidic oceans, with different studies often reporting apparently conflicting results. We used live lab cultures, mathematical models, and fossil measurements to test this question, and found low pH does reduce calcification. However, we find this response is likely size-dependent, which may have obscured this response in other studies.
Chris H. Crosby and Jake V. Bailey
Biogeosciences, 14, 2151–2154, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2151-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2151-2017, 2017
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In the course of experiments exploring the formation of calcium phosphate minerals in a polymeric matrix, we developed a small-scale, reusable, and low-cost setup that allows microscopic observation over time for use in mineral precipitation experiments that use organic polymers as a matrix. The setup uniquely accommodates changes in solution chemistry during the course of an experiment and facilitates easy harvesting of the precipitates for subsequent analysis.
Rosie M. Sheward, Alex J. Poulton, Samantha J. Gibbs, Chris J. Daniels, and Paul R. Bown
Biogeosciences, 14, 1493–1509, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1493-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1493-2017, 2017
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Our culture experiments on modern Coccolithophores find that physiology regulates shifts in the geometry of their carbonate shells (coccospheres) between growth phases. This provides a tool to access growth information in modern and past populations. Directly comparing modern species with fossil coccospheres derives a new proxy for investigating the physiology that underpins phytoplankton responses to environmental change through geological time.
Inge van Dijk, Lennart J. de Nooijer, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 14, 497–510, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-497-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-497-2017, 2017
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Culturing foraminifera under controlled pCO2 conditions shows that incorporation of certain elements (Zn, Ba) into foraminiferal shells is impacted by the inorganic carbonate system. Modeling the chemical speciation of these elements suggests that incorporation is determined by the availability of free ions. Furthermore, analyzing and comparing trends in element incorporation in hyaline and porcelaneous species may provide constrains on the differences between their calcification strategies.
Ella L. Howes, Karina Kaczmarek, Markus Raitzsch, Antje Mewes, Nienke Bijma, Ingo Horn, Sambuddha Misra, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, and Jelle Bijma
Biogeosciences, 14, 415–430, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-415-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-415-2017, 2017
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To calculate the seawater carbonate system, proxies for 2 out of 7 parameters are required. The boron isotopic composition of foraminifera shells can be used as a proxy for pH and it has been suggested that B / Ca ratios may act as a proxy for carbonate ion concentration. However, differentiating between the effects of pH and [CO32−] is problematic, as they co-vary in natural systems. To deconvolve the effects, we conducted culture experiments with the planktonic foraminifer Orbulina universa.
Merinda C. Nash, Sophie Martin, and Jean-Pierre Gattuso
Biogeosciences, 13, 5937–5945, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5937-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5937-2016, 2016
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We carried out a 1-year experiment on coralline algae to test how higher CO2 and temperature might change the mineral composition of the algal skeleton. We expected there to be a decline in magnesium with CO2 and an increase with temperature. We found that CO2 did not change the mineral composition, but higher temperature increased the amount of magnesium.
Anaid Rosas-Navarro, Gerald Langer, and Patrizia Ziveri
Biogeosciences, 13, 2913–2926, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-2913-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-2913-2016, 2016
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The global warming debate has sparked an unprecedented interest in temperature effects on coccolithophores. We show that sub-optimal growth temperatures lead to an increase in malformed coccoliths in a strain-specific fashion and the inorganic / organic carbon has a minimum at optimum growth temperature. Global warming might cause a decline in coccoliths' inorganic carbon contribution to the "rain ratio", as well as improved fitness in some genotypes by reducing coccolith malformation.
T. Foster and P. L. Clode
Biogeosciences, 13, 1717–1722, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1717-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1717-2016, 2016
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In recent years much research has focussed on whether corals will be able to build their skeletons under predicted ocean acidification. One strategy corals may employ is changing the mineralogy of their skeletons from aragonite to the less soluble polymorph of calcium carbonate; calcite. Here we show that newly settled coral recruits are unable to produce calcite in their skeletons under near-future elevations in pCO2, which may leave them more vulnerable to ocean acidification.
Anne Alexandre, Jérôme Balesdent, Patrick Cazevieille, Claire Chevassus-Rosset, Patrick Signoret, Jean-Charles Mazur, Araks Harutyunyan, Emmanuel Doelsch, Isabelle Basile-Doelsch, Hélène Miche, and Guaciara M. Santos
Biogeosciences, 13, 1693–1703, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1693-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1693-2016, 2016
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This 13C labeling experiment demonstrates that carbon can be absorbed by the roots, translocated in the plant, and ultimately fixed in organic compounds subject to occlusion in silica particles that form inside plant cells (phytoliths). Plausible forms of carbon absorbed, translocated, and fixed in phytoliths are assessed. Implications for our understanding of the C cycle at the plant-soil-atmosphere interface are discussed.
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Short summary
Phytoliths contain occluded organic compounds called phytC. The nature and location of phytC in biogenic silica structures is poorly understood. Here, we reconstructed the 3-D structure of phytoliths using 3-D Xray microscopy. We further evidenced a pool of phytC, continuously distributed in the silica structure, using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). Our findings allowed the re-evaluation of previous suggestions regarding phytC quantification and environmental meaning.
Phytoliths contain occluded organic compounds called phytC. The nature and location of phytC in...
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