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Updated: Mar 27, 2026

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Published on: August 3, 2016
Effects of nutrient enrichment on microbial accumulation of RDOC: A microcosm experiment using long-term incubated
Xi Lu1, Mengdie Zhang2, Siheng Lin3
1Carbon Neutral Innovation Research Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Institute of Ocean Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China; School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
Abstract:
Climate change mitigation increasingly relies on understanding the ocean's role as a major carbon sink, in which plankton-mediated processes - particularly the microbial carbon pump (MCP) - facilitate the transformation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) into refractory forms that support long-term carbon sequestration. Here, we examined the effects of nutrient enrichment on MCP efficiency using a 33-day dark microcosm incubation of long-term incubated inert waters amended with graded nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. Our results suggest that high nutrient enrichment may override chemical constraints on refractory DOC (RDOC) utilization, facilitating its conversion into more bioavailable forms. Nutrient addition also triggered marked microbial community succession, favoring taxa such as Bacteroidota, known for efficient degradation of complex organic matter. These shifts enhanced DOC consumption and accelerated carbon turnover, ultimately reducing RDOC accumulation via MCP pathways. Collectively, these findings highlight how nutrient loading and eutrophication can restructure plankton community dynamics and DOC transformation pathways, with implications for predicting the resilience of marine ecosystems and their long-term carbon sequestration capacity under intensified human activities and climate change.
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