UC DAVIS / USC (US) — The symbiotic relationship between two kinds of bacteria on the ocean floor forms a critical link in Earth’s nitrogen cycle, report scientists.
The study focuses on the long, thin, hairlike bacteria called Thioploca (meaning “sulfur braids” in Spanish) and the tiny anammox bacteria, which use ammonium and nitrite released by Thioploca as an energy source.
Both species of bacteria dwell in the ocean floor off of the coast of Baja California as well as the Pacific coast of South America.
