内容提要: |
As a major contributor to biomass on bathypelagic marine snow, the Labyrinthulomycetes protists, featured with unique ectoplasmic nets and carbon metabolic functions, may not only benefit from the special microenvironment of the marine snow, but also play a potential role in generating and reshaping this microenvironment. Mechanism of the interaction between the Labyrinthulomycetes and the marine snow microenvironment, however, remain unclear. Based on the results of previous studies, we hypothesize that: (1) The Labyrinthulomycetes possess partitioning adaption strategies to different oceanic habitats and layers, and their community distribution and functional gene expression are closely associated with the distribution, dynamic, and microenvironmental condition of the marine snow; (2) Through multifarious trophic modes and complex interactions with other microbes, they can facilitate the generation and sinking of the marine snow in the euphotic layer, and play dual roles in long-term sequestration and degradation/remineralization of organic matter in the deep ocean. |