单细胞原生生物在海洋碳汇研究中的重要性和展望

Perspective and significance of unicellular protists in ocean carbon sink

海洋是地球上最大的碳库,通过对CO^2的固定以及与大气物质和能量的交换,海洋对全球气候的变化起到关键的调控作用。随着全球气候变化的加剧,增加海洋碳汇已经成为应对全球气候变化的热门研究课题和主要途径之一。海洋微型生物在海洋的固碳过程及碳循环中起到关键的作用,对海洋碳汇意义重大。本文综述了一类重要的海洋微型生物——单细胞原生生物在海洋碳汇研究中的重要性,分析了其中的代表——网粘菌门(Labyrintholomycota)原生生物在海洋碳循环和次级生产中的意义,并从清楚地认识海洋碳汇的过程和机制方面,提出未来该领域急需解决的科学问题和可能的研究方案,为丰富海洋碳汇研究的生物学基础提供理论依据。

The oceans are the largest carbon sink in the world and regulate the climate change through carbon fixation, the exchange of materials and energy with the atmosphere. As the global climate change becomes intensified, ocean carbon sink has become a popular research topic and one of major means to reduce global warming. Marine microbes play a pivotal role in ocean carbon fixation and ocean carbon cycling, makes an important meaning to ocean carbon sink. This paper summarizes the significance of unicellular marine protists in ocean carbon fixing and storage with an emphasis on members of Labyrintholomycota and their roles in marine carbon recycling and ocean secondary production. For better understanding of the processes and mechanisms for ocean carbon sink, several important topics and potential solutions were discussed. Hopefully, it will provide some useful information and guidelines for the biological aspects of ocean carbon sink.