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The Importance of Microbes in the Marine Environment

Marine microbes include a variety of life forms that we can't see with our naked eyes. According to the Carleton College Science Education Resource Center, bacteria, fungi, algae, plankton and viruses make up approximately 90 percent of the ocean's biomass. They influence both ocean organisms and land dwellers through their interactions with substances vital to life.

  1. Energy Production and Nutrient Cycling

    • Photosynthetic bacteria and algae serve as primary ocean producers, transforming the energy found in sunlight into a chemical form (carbohydrates) that can be used by other organisms. During photosynthesis, they also produce oxygen (half of the oxygen produced on the planet), according to the Australian Institute of Marine Science. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute claims that marine microbes are also involved in the cycling of other important elements such as carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and metals.

    Symbiosis

    • Some marine microbes are involved in symbiotic relationships. These are relationships where each partner is essential to the survival of the other. One such relationship, described by the Australian Institute of Marine Science, is between Zooxanthella (photosynthetic algae) and corals found in the ocean. The Zooxanthella performs photosynthesis, which provides an energy source for the coral builders. In return, the coral provides necessary safety and a home for the algae.

    Red Tides

    • Not all microbe contributions are beneficial. Ocean algae are responsible for the phenomenon known as the red tide. Algae blooms cause affected areas to turn red, consume much of the available oxygen in the water and release toxins into the ocean. These toxins accumulate in animals such as shellfish, which can then be harmful to humans if consumed.

    Climate

    • These microscopic creatures can even influence climate. The National Science Foundation describes how microbes are attracted to a substance called dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). DMSP is produced naturally in algae and is released into ocean waters when algae die and its cells rupture. Some microbes can break this substance down into dimethylsulfide (DMS). DMS is known to have an impact on cloud formation, which in turn affects temperatures and rainfall.

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