A new study examined nitrogen fixation among diazotrophs–microorganisms that can convert nitrogen into usable form for other plants and animals — living among sargassum. Sargassum, a brown macroalgae in the seaweed family, floats on the surface of the open ocean and provides habitat for a colorful array of marine life such as small fish, brine shrimp and other microorganisms. Previous studies have overlooked diazotrophs associated with sargassum, which could mean a historical underestimation of nitrogen fixation in the Atlantic nitrogen budget. The study found that nitrogen fixation in sargassum communities was significant.
Click here for original story, Nitrogen fixation hotspots in Atlantic seaweed
Source: ScienceDaily