Article: Protozoan grazers: they may influence the biological availability of iron to phytoplankton.(Marine Biodiversity)(Cover Story)

Iron is an essential micronutrient for marine life, yet it is highly insoluble in seawater. Dissolved iron concentrations in the oceans are exceedingly low, and much of the iron that is present occurs in relatively refractory forms, such as very fine particles (colloids), which are difficult for organisms to assimilate. Some scientists propose that, in many areas of the world's oceans, iron may actually limit the growth of marine phytoplankton, the primary producers in the oceanic water column. Biologists and chemists at WHOI and elsewhere are currently investigating the mechanisms phytoplankton use to obtain the iron they need. Considerable attention is focused on how the ...

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