A deep-sea isopod that consumes Sargassum sinking from the ocean’s surface - presented by Dr. Johanna Weston and Dr. Mackenzie Gerringer PhD and Prof. Dr. Angelika Brandt

A deep-sea isopod that consumes Sargassum sinking from the ocean’s surface

Johanna Weston and Mackenzie Gerringer

Dr. Johanna WestonDr. Mackenzie Gerringer PhD

Associated publication

L. M. Peoples et al. (2024) A deep-sea isopod that consumes Sargassum sinking from the ocean’s surface. Proc. R. Soc. B.
Article of record
A deep-sea isopod that consumes Sargassum sinking from the ocean’s surface
Dr. Johanna Weston
Johanna Weston
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Dr. Mackenzie Gerringer PhD
Mackenzie Gerringer
State University of New York at Geneseo
Chaired by Angelika Brandt

Most deep-ocean life relies on organic carbon from the surface ocean. While settling primary production rapidly attenuates in the water column, pulses of organic material can be quickly transported to depth in the form of food falls. One example of fresh material that can reach great depths across the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea is the pelagic macroalgae Sargassum. However, little is known about the deep-ocean organisms able to use this food source. Here, we encountered the isopod Bathyopsurus nybelini at depths 5002–6288 m in the Puerto Rico Trench and Mid-Cayman Spreading Center using the Deep Submergence Vehicle Alvin. In most of the 32 observations, the isopods carried fronds of Sargassum. Through an integrative suite of morphological, DNA sequencing, and microbiological approaches, we show that this species is adapted to feed on Sargassum by using a specialized swimming stroke, having serrated and grinding mouthparts, and containing a gut microbiome that provides a dietary contribution through the degradation of macroalgal polysaccharides and fixing nitrogen. The isopod’s physiological, morphological, and ecological adaptations demonstrate that vertical deposition of Sargassum is a direct trophic link between the surface and deep ocean and that some deep-sea organisms are poised to use this material.

References
  • 1.
    L. M. Peoples et al. (2024) A deep-sea isopod that consumes Sargassum sinking from the ocean’s surface. Proc. R. Soc. B.
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Ecology and evolution seminars
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J. Weston and M. Gerringer (2025, January 21), A deep-sea isopod that consumes Sargassum sinking from the ocean’s surface
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Video length 57:52
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