Researchers have discovered a significant mismatch between the microbes that dominate the ocean surface and those that reach the seafloor. While Prochlorococcus is most abundant at the surface, Synechococcus dominates the sediment, suggesting it plays a disproportionate role in long-term carbon sequestration. This finding challenges previous assumptions in ocean carbon modeling. By understanding which bacteria actually reach the seabed and resist breakdown, scientists can better calculate how the ocean locks carbon away from the atmosphere for thousands of years.
