Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pump

10 pages, 6 figures, 1 table.-- Data availability: Data are available at Digital CSIC repository. DOI: 10.20350/digitalCSIC/18065

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Calbet, Albert
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/421417
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/421417
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Microzooplankton
Biological Carbon Pump
Carbon Export
Protist Respiration
Diel Vertical Migration
Grazing
Carbon Attenuation
Phytoplankton-Zooplankton Interactions
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
id ES_bbd9dc13da69f18e759ff2de8e1c8e29
oai_identifier_str oai:digital.csic.es:10261/421417
network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
repository_id_str
spelling Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pumpCalbet, AlbertMicrozooplanktonBiological Carbon PumpCarbon ExportProtist RespirationDiel Vertical MigrationGrazingCarbon AttenuationPhytoplankton-Zooplankton Interactionshttp://metadata.un.org/sdg/14Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development10 pages, 6 figures, 1 table.-- Data availability: Data are available at Digital CSIC repository. DOI: 10.20350/digitalCSIC/18065The biological carbon pump (BCP) is a fundamental component of the Earth’s climate system, enabling the transfer of carbon from surface waters to the deep ocean, where it can be sequestered for centuries. While phytoplankton are the primary agents of carbon fixation in the ocean, the fate of that carbon—whether it is remineralized, respired, or exported—hinges critically on the activity of microzooplankton. These small, mostly unicellular heterotrophic protists are key grazers of primary producers and intermediaries in marine planktonic food webs. This review synthesizes recent findings that reveal how microzooplankton influence BCP efficiency through direct and indirect mechanisms: grazing on phytoplankton and detrital particles, respiration and excretion that regenerate nutrients and carbon dioxide in surface waters, and participation in or interaction with diel vertical migration processes. I highlight how their roles vary across environmental gradients and how size-structured trophic cascades and community shifts affect carbon export potential. Depending on the dominant microzooplankton group, grazing activity may reduce export efficiency by retaining carbon in surface waters, whereas vertical migration—although less studied among protists—may actively contribute to deep ocean carbon transport. By examining field observations, mesocosm experiments, and ecosystem models, I attempt to offer a comprehensive understanding of how microzooplankton act as both gatekeepers and facilitators of the ocean’s carbon economy. Recognizing their dualistic nature—retainers of carbon and subtle agents of sequestration—is vital for improving global biogeochemical models and predictions of carbon–climate feedbacksThis study acknowledges the “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” accreditation (CEX2019-000928.S) and the Marine Plankton Ecology Research Laboratory (2021 SGR 00427)Peer reviewedElsevierAgencia Estatal de Investigación (España)Generalitat de CatalunyaConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202620262026info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Publisher's versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/421417reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Ingléshttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2026.103700Síinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/4214172026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pump
title Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pump
spellingShingle Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pump
Calbet, Albert
Microzooplankton
Biological Carbon Pump
Carbon Export
Protist Respiration
Diel Vertical Migration
Grazing
Carbon Attenuation
Phytoplankton-Zooplankton Interactions
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
title_short Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pump
title_full Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pump
title_fullStr Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pump
title_full_unstemmed Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pump
title_sort Roles of microzooplankton in the biological carbon pump
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Calbet, Albert
author Calbet, Albert
author_facet Calbet, Albert
author_role author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España)
Generalitat de Catalunya
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Microzooplankton
Biological Carbon Pump
Carbon Export
Protist Respiration
Diel Vertical Migration
Grazing
Carbon Attenuation
Phytoplankton-Zooplankton Interactions
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
topic Microzooplankton
Biological Carbon Pump
Carbon Export
Protist Respiration
Diel Vertical Migration
Grazing
Carbon Attenuation
Phytoplankton-Zooplankton Interactions
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
description 10 pages, 6 figures, 1 table.-- Data availability: Data are available at Digital CSIC repository. DOI: 10.20350/digitalCSIC/18065
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Publisher's version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/421417
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/421417
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2026.103700
Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869418061599080448
score 15,81155

Similares en LA Referencia