Articles | Volume 23, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-1591-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-1591-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
27 Feb 2026
Research article |
| 27 Feb 2026
| 27 Feb 2026
A simplified approach for measuring Rubisco carbon isotope fractionation and the first determination in marine haptophyte Gephyrocapsa oceanica
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
Pere Aguiló-Nicolau
Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears – INAGEA, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
Madalina Jaggi
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
Jeroni Galmés
Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears – INAGEA, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
Heather M. Stoll
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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Short summary
Photosynthetic organisms leave characteristic carbon isotope fingerprints that help scientists study Earth’s carbon cycle. We developed a simpler laboratory method to measure these isotope effects in Rubisco, the key enzyme fixing CO2. Applying this approach, we obtained the first measurement for Gephyrocapsa oceanica, a widespread marine alga that plays a major role in ocean carbon cycling.
Photosynthetic organisms leave characteristic carbon isotope fingerprints that help scientists...
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