Photo Credit: Jeremy Bishop
Scientific Frontline: Extended "At a Glance" Summary: Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in Antarctic Sea Ice
The Core Concept: Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a natural chemical compound produced by microscopic marine organisms in polar ice that functions as a critical regulator of the Earth's climate.
Key Distinction/Mechanism: Microbes produce DMSP to survive the extreme cold and high salinity of polar environments; when the compound breaks down, it releases gases that seed cloud formation in the atmosphere, thereby reflecting sunlight and cooling the planet's surface.
Origin/History: A recent joint winter expedition by the University of East Anglia, the University of Pretoria, and Stellenbosch University discovered that Antarctic sea ice acts as a dense reservoir, holding DMSP concentrations up to 38 times higher than the surrounding seawater.
Major Frameworks/Components:
- Microbial Adaptation: Algae and diverse bacterial populations ramp up DMSP production via specific genetic drivers to endure freezing, highly saline polar conditions.
- Marine Sulfur Cycling: Microorganisms continuously produce and break down sulfur compounds, driving a massive, previously understudied biogeochemical cycle within the ice.
- Atmospheric Albedo Effect: The breakdown gases contribute to cloud formation, directly enhancing the Earth's albedo (sunlight reflection) and moderating global temperatures.
Branch of Science: Marine Biology, Biogeochemistry, Climatology, and Microbiology.
Future Application: Data regarding this chemical reservoir will be integrated into future climate models to more accurately predict the global consequences of sea ice loss and to better map microbial sulfur cycling.
Why It Matters: As climate change thins and melts polar ice, the loss of this dynamic chemical factory could diminish the Earth's natural cooling capacity, potentially triggering an inevitable acceleration in global temperature rise.
Antarctica’s frozen seas are churning out chemicals that could help cool the planet, according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
A new study reveals that sea ice in the Southern Ocean contains dramatically higher levels of a key compound linked to climate regulation than the surrounding waters.
As climate change continues to shrink and thin polar ice, the balance of this chemical factory could change, with unknown consequences.
In collaboration with the University of Pretoria and Stellenbosch University in South Africa, scientists studied a chemical called dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), which plays a crucial role in cooling the planet.
Produced by microscopic marine organisms such as algae and bacteria, this chemical helps them survive the punishing cold and salty conditions of polar ice. It also has a second function: when it breaks down, it releases gases that can seed clouds and reflect sunlight, effectively helping to cool the Earth.
The new study shows that Antarctic sea ice contains up to thirty-eight times more of this key compound than surrounding waters.
Professor Jonathan Todd, from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences and the Quadram Institute on the Norwich Research Park, said, “Because the gases released from DMSP can contribute to cloud formation, they help reflect sunlight and in effect cool the surface below. In other words, sea ice formation and melting could be quietly helping to moderate global temperatures. Understanding these processes is vital if scientists are to predict how the planet will respond to future warming.”
How the Research Happened
The team studied a natural chemical in the ocean called DMSP, which is made by tiny marine organisms.
They analyzed samples collected during a winter expedition to the Southern Ocean and found DMSP concentrations in sea ice ranging from 24 to 115 nanomoles—far higher than the 3 to 11 nanomoles typically seen in seawater.
Coauthor Dr. Libby Hanwell, also from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, said, “Clearly, there are a lot of very important microbes cycling sulfur compounds in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, especially in sea ice, which potentially impacts us all.”
A Frozen "Chemical Reservoir"
Dr. Hanwell said, “The ice isn’t just frozen water—it’s a dense, dynamic reservoir of climate-cooling chemicals. It’s acting like a storage reservoir for DMSP.”
Inside the ice, microscopic algae ramp up production of DMSP to help them survive the harsh polar conditions.
The study found that algae are likely the main producers of DMSP, thanks to specific genes that drive its creation. However, the team also identified a surprisingly diverse cast of bacteria contributing to both its production and breakdown.
An Unseen Ecosystem at Work
Professor Todd said, “Far from being barren, Antarctic ice is bustling with microbial life, and these minuscule organisms are shaping the chemistry of the planet.
“The big worry is that as climate change causes the Antarctic ice to melt, its capacity to help cool the Earth could also reduce, causing an inevitable acceleration in global warming.”
Funding: This work was funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Leverhulme Trust, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), among others.
Published in journal: Nature Communications
Authors: Z. Mayibongwe Buthelezi, Rian E. Pierneef, Oliver K. I. Bezuidt, M. Nello J. Gregori, Stephan Pesant, Daniele Iudicone, Libby Hanwell, Jonathan D. Todd, and Thulani P. Makhalanyane
Source/Credit: University of East Anglia
Edited by: Scientific Frontline
Reference Number: mb062526_01
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