'Photosynthetic' Algae Can Survive the Dark
Published:21 Dec.2021 Source:Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
More than 66 million years ago, an asteroid impact led to the extinction of almost three-quarters of life on Earth. The little life that was left had to struggle, and research into its tenacity can provide key insights into how organisms survive environmental challenges. In a new study, scientists at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences discovered how some species of single-celled algae lived through the mass extinction, a finding that could change how we understand global ocean processes.
Coccolithophores, like most algae, are photosynthetic and utilize the sun's energy to make food. However, the aftermath of the asteroid impact was thought to have blanketed the planet with several months of darkness, a death sentence for most of the world's photosynthetic organisms. In combination with other fallout effects, this caused the extinction of more than 90 percent of all coccolithophore species, some of the most influential organisms in the ocean. However, others endured.