Long-range transport of airborne microbes over the global tropical and subtropical ocean.

ABSTRACT: The atmosphere plays a fundamental role in the transport of microbes across the planet but it is often neglected as a microbial habitat. Although the ocean represents two thirds of the Earth's surface, there is little information on the atmospheric microbial load over the open ocean. Here we provide a global estimate of microbial loads and air-sea exchanges over the tropical and subtropical oceans based on the data collected along the Malaspina 2010 Circumnavigation Expedition. Total loads of airborne prokaryotes and eukaryotes were estimated at 2.2 × 10²¹ and 2.1 × 10²¹ cells, respectively. Overall 33-68% of these microorganisms could be traced to a marine origin, being transported thousands of kilometres before re-entering the ocean. Moreover, our results show a sub

SUBMITTER: Mayol E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5544686 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature