ScienceDaily: Underwater Microscope Finds Biological Treasures In The Subtropical Ocean

ScienceDaily: Underwater Microscope Finds Biological Treasures In The Subtropical Ocean: "Underwater Microscope Finds Biological Treasures In The Subtropical Ocean

Scientists towing an underwater digital microscope across the Atlantic have found possible missing links to the global nitrogen cycle, which in turn is linked to ocean productivity.

In a recent report in the journal Science, researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) found abundant colonies of Trichodesmium. The multi-celled, filamentous organism is thought to play a significant role in the input of nitrogen to the upper layers of the tropical and subtropical ocean, nearly half of the Earth’s surface.

Lead author Cabell Davis, a senior scientist in the WHOI Biology Department, and co-author Dennis McGillicuddy, an associate scientist in the WHOI Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department, suggest that nitrogen fixation rates for Trichodesmium may be 2.7 to 5 times higher than previously estimated from traditional sampling."
=====================================

So, these guys are out trolling the oceans with a digital microscope. Pretty sweet deal. I'd have my science thriller main character do that, but then it would be too Clive Cussler. Maybe he could troll the skies in a high performance glider or airship. Hmmmm. Then I could finally get a glider license and write it off. Excuse me a moment...