Titel
Reviews and syntheses: Heterotrophic fixation of inorganic carbon – significant but invisible flux in environmental carbon cycling
Autor*in
Alexander Braun
Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München
Marina Spona-Friedl
Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München
Maria Avramov
Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München
... show all
Abstract
Heterotrophic CO2 fixation is a significant yet underappreciated CO2 flux in environmental carbon cycling. In contrast to photosynthesis and chemolithoautotrophy – the main recognized autotrophic CO2 fixation pathways – the importance of heterotrophic CO2 fixation remains enigmatic. All heterotrophs – from microorganisms to humans – take up CO2 and incorporate it into their biomass. Depending on the availability and quality of growth substrates, and drivers such as the CO2 partial pressure, heterotrophic CO2 fixation contributes at least 1 %–5 % and in the case of methanotrophs up to 50 % of the carbon biomass. Assuming a standing stock of global heterotrophic biomass of 47–85 Pg C, we roughly estimate that up to 5 Pg C might be derived from heterotrophic CO2 fixation, and up to 12 Pg C yr−1 originating from heterotrophic CO2 fixation is funneled into the global annual heterotrophic production of 34–245 Pg C yr−1. These first estimates on the importance of heterotrophic fixation of inorganic carbon indicate that this pathway should be incorporated in present and future carbon cycling budgets.
Stichwort
Earth-Surface ProcessesEcology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Objekt-Typ
Sprache
Englisch [eng]
Persistent identifier
phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1611284
Erschienen in
Titel
Biogeosciences
Band
18
Ausgabe
12
ISSN
1726-4189
Erscheinungsdatum
2021
Seitenanfang
3689
Seitenende
3700
Publication
Copernicus GmbH
Erscheinungsdatum
2021
Zugänglichkeit
Rechte
Rechteangabe
© Author(s) 2021
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