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  4. Symbiont regulation of nitrogen metabolism and excretion in tropical planktonic foraminifera
 
research article

Symbiont regulation of nitrogen metabolism and excretion in tropical planktonic foraminifera

Cai-Li, Ren Yi
•
Ren, Haojia
•
Fang, Wei Ning
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May 1, 2025
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) is one of the key major nutrients crucial for regulating marine productivity. Photosynthetic endosymbiosis, as seen in organisms like stony corals and foraminifera, appear to alleviate nutrient limitations in surface ocean waters through its symbiotic relationship with the host. Recent advancements in understanding the nitrogen isotopic compositions (15N/14N) of planktonic foraminifera reveal notably lower 15N/14N ratios in species harboring dinoflagellate symbionts compared to those without symbionts or with different types of symbionts. This species differentiation is hypothesized to arise from more efficient internal nitrogen cycling in dinoflagellate-bearing species, resulting in reduced nitrogen loss to the environment and thus diminished trophic enrichment. In our investigation, we monitored nitrogen excretion in incubation experiments involving several planktonic foraminifera species, including dinoflagellate-bearing Globigerinoides ruber, Trilobatus sacculifer, Orbulina universa, and chrysophyte-bearing Globigerinella siphonifera. G. siphonifera exhibited distinct diel cycles of ammonium production at night and uptake during the day, with its trophic enrichment in biomass 15N/14N increasing in tandem with ammonium loss. Conversely, no measurable excreted ammonium was detected from any of the three dinoflagellate-bearing species. These findings align with earlier observations indicating a tight interaction wherein hosts likely supply excess non-carbon nutrients to their symbionts via prey ingestion and digestion, in exchange for organic carbon. Our research underscores the pivotal role of symbiosis in shaping nutrient dynamics between planktonic foraminifera and the surrounding environment, with implications for using the species 15N/14N difference to reconstruct upper ocean nutrient conditions.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1016/j.gca.2025.03.009
Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105002313232

Author(s)
Cai-Li, Ren Yi

National Taiwan University

Ren, Haojia

National Taiwan University

Fang, Wei Ning

National Taiwan University

Yang, Er Wen

National Taiwan University

Chen, Wen Hui

National Taiwan University

LeKieffre, Charlotte  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Branson, Oscar

University of Cambridge

Fehrenbacher, Jennifer

Oregon State University

Vetter, Lael

College of Science

Jeng, Ming Shiou

Academia Sinica, Biodiversity Research Center

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Date Issued

2025-05-01

Published in
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Volume

396

Start page

135

End page

145

Subjects

Nitrogen excretion

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Nitrogen metabolism

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Planktonic foraminifera

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Symbiosis

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Trophic effect

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
EPFL  
FunderFunding(s)Grant NumberGrant URL

Royal Society

G118989

Leverhulme Trust

RL-2022-005

MOST

107-2636-M-002-002,111-2116-M-002-032-MY3

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Available on Infoscience
May 5, 2025
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/249713
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