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The Impact of Kaolinite Clay and Saharan Dust on Marine Bacterial Aggregation
Saharan desert dust plays an important role in supporting marine phytoplankton growth by supplying essential nutrients, such as iron. Consequently, aeolic dust deposition influences the marine food web and impacts oceanic carbon cycling. Previous studies have demonstrated that clay minerals in Saharan dust, such as kaolinite, enhance the production of aggregates and their sinking velocity by acting as a ballasting material. In this study, we investigate the effect of particle size and abundance on the production of marine aggregates. We conducted roller tank experiments with the marine bacterium Marinobacter adhaerens HP15, using three different kaolinite clay concentrations: 0.5, 2 and 5 mg L-1. The abundance of visible aggregates significantly increased with clay concentration, and the aggregates formed at the higher concentrations were less fragile. We will report on the effects of size-fractionated kaolinite and natural Saharan dust and discuss their implications for carbon export and broader impacts on climate change.
Presentation Preference: Poster
Primary Presenter: Kayla Tran, Arizona State University (ktran6461@gmail.com)