Researchers discover new nitrogen source in Arctic

(Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences) Scientists have revealed that the partnership between an alga and bacteria is making the essential element nitrogen newly available in the Arctic Ocean. The microbial process of 'nitrogen fixation' converts the element into a form that organisms can use, and was discovered recently in the frigid polar waters. This shift may be a result of climate change and could affect global chemical cycles, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news