Small bacteria helping big things grow in the ocean
Monday, October 15, 2012 - 05:31
in Earth & Climate
Around 71 per cent of the Earth's surface is made up of salt-water oceans - that's 98 per cent of all water. The ecosystems that exist beneath their surface are diverse and vibrant. Their sheer scale, however, means that there is still a lot to be discovered. And that is exactly what an international team comprising scientists from Europe and the United States have done. Their new discovery - of a symbiosis between tiny single-celled algae and highly specialised bacteria in the ocean - will help scientists to better understand oceans and the important role they play in our lives.