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SEARCH More than 5,600 stories! A great gift for crisis deniers! Humoring the Horror of the Converging Emergencies 94 color pages $24.99 now $15! Or read FREE online! Twitter Ping this story in social media: del.icio.us Digg Newsvine NowPublic Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon

Posted Sat Nov 15 2008: from NSF, via EurekAlert: Mysterious microbe plays important role in ocean ecology http://apocadocs.com/s.pl?1226756259 An unusual microorganism discovered in the open ocean may force scientists to rethink their understanding of how carbon and nitrogen cycle through ocean ecosystems.... Unlike all other known free-living cyanobacteria, this one lacks some of the genes needed to carry out photosynthesis, the process by which plants use light energy to make sugars out of carbon dioxide and water. The mysterious microbe can do something very important, though: It provides natural fertilizer to the oceans by "fixing" nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form useable by other organisms. [Read more stories about: ecosystem interrelationships] New!: Your Quips: quinn says: "I'm afraid it'll end up "fixing" the ocean into a giant dead zone..." Got a PaniQuip? Your Quip (limit 140 characters, no links, just wit): First name: The text shown in the Web image to the right: We reserve the right to reuse, remove, or refuse any entry.

'Doc Michael says: I wonder if it can "fix" nitrogen fast enough to "fix" the atmospheric overabundance. NEXT> More stories: Campaigner wins seven-year battle to force rethink on use of pesticides Nasa fights global warming with bathtime favourite (Mysterious microbe plays important role in ocean ecology) Dumb eco-questions you were afraid to ask Wrinkle Fillers Linked to 'Serious' Side Effects Want to explore more? Try the PaniCloud!

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