Metabolic switching between inorganic and organic phosphorus sustains microbial activity in an ultraoligotrophic ocean
Researchers have discovered that microbial communities in the ultra-oligotrophic eastern Mediterranean Sea adapt to phosphorus scarcity by switching between inorganic and organic phosphorus sources. This metabolic flexibility allows microbes to survive in nutrient-poor environments by dynamically adjusting their uptake strategies.
Why it matters
Understanding how marine microbes cycle nutrients is essential for modeling ocean productivity and the global carbon cycle in the face of changing environmental conditions.
Scientific Reports ( 2026 ) Cite this article
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