A new study published in the journal Nature Communications has revealed the metabolic capacities of microorganisms in ferromanganese crusts. Ferromanganese crusts are deposits of minerals such as iron and manganese which are found on the surface of the earth’s oceanic crust. The study has found that these microorganisms are capable of metabolizing both iron and manganese, which is a major breakthrough in understanding the biogeochemical roles of these microorganisms in the marine environment. The findings of this study are extremely relevant to current attempts to understand the oceanic carbon cycle and the role of ferromanganese crusts in the climate system.

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source: Phys.org