The Biology of Marine Snowflakes

Abstract

Organic detrital particles drift and sink through all ocean waters. This marine snow mediates the global carbon cycle by sequestering carbon in the deep sea and fuels ocean ecosystems by feeding deep-sea organisms. These global processes are ultimately controlled by the collection of events that occur at the scale of individual marine snowflakes. These particles are incredibly diverse, with physical characteristics and compositions determined by the myriad processes that lead to their formation and transformation over time. When that diversity is classified, we can calculate the quantity of carbon that particles transport to the deep sea. Each marine snowflake is a microcosm, with distinct organisms and metabolisms concentrated within the organic matter of a particle. Resolving the biology of individual marine snowflakes is possible through innovations in physical collection and the development of autonomous imaging platforms. Accounting for particle-specific biology generates major advancements in ocean biogeochemistry and ecology.