Fig. 4: Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) dynamics is driven by stepped microbe-DOM loop (SMDL).
From: Unveiling ongoing biogeochemical dynamics of CDOM from surface to deep ocean
In the upper deep ocean, bacteria and archaea consume macromolecules to build biomass. Suspended and slow-sinking particles form through the aggregation of microbes, detritus, fecal pellets, and other organic particles. As slow-sinking particles transport organic material to greater depths, they continue to fuel microbial activity. During the SMDL, high-energy macromolecules are consumed, producing low-molecular-weight extracellular substances. In this figure, POC stands for particulate organic carbon, LMW for low-molecular-weight, MMW for medium-molecular-weight, HMW for high-molecular-weight, agg for aggregation, disagg for disaggregation, and EPS for extracellular polymeric substances.
