Element cycles articles from across Nature Portfolio

Laboratory experiments show that Fe(II) oxidizing phototrophic bacteria, or photoferrotrophs, thought to be a major depositor of Archean and Palaeoproterozoic iron formations, are inhibited by toxic intermediates produced during denitrification in iron-rich systems. This identifies a previously overlooked stressor impacting mineral formation by photoferrotrophs during early Earth history.

The bioaccumulation of methylmercury in fish and its biomagnification through the food chain is a major public health concern. Differences in fish methylmercury concentration observed between China and the United States highlight the need for a better understanding of region-specific factors that drive its formation and biological uptake.

Ocean deoxygenation since the late 1960s has been partially mitigated by wind-driven oxygenation, particularly in the Southern Ocean. The predicted slowdown in wind intensification may therefore accelerate ocean deoxygenation in the coming decades.

New study finds diazotroph-derived nitrogen is utilized by phytoplankton in upper euphotic zone, while below, it is used by nitrifiers. The newly identified pathways reveal the marine nitrogen cycle may be more interconnected than previously recognized.

Nitrogen isotope evidence of Mid-Devonian photosymbiotic associations in certain types of corals suggests that autotrophic and heterotrophic corals co-existed on extinct reefs, as today, but in warmer oceans, indicating the current warming rate, not temperature, is causing coral bleaching.

Surface water neodymium isotopes and rare earth element compositions reveal a marked impact from the January 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption in the western South Pacific, with released trace metals potentially stimulating biological responses.

In this Review, Zhou, Tran et al. provide a comprehensive overview of the metabolic reactions by which microorganisms transform inorganic sulfur compounds across varied microbiomes and ecosystems, and explore the link between sulfur cycling microorganisms and climate change.

Nitrogen is a limiting nutrient across the South Pacific Ocean with iron of secondary importance towards the east and phosphorus of secondary importance to the west, according to nutrient addition bioassay experiments from the GEOTRACES GP21 expedition

Laboratory experiments show that Fe(II) oxidizing phototrophic bacteria, or photoferrotrophs, thought to be a major depositor of Archean and Palaeoproterozoic iron formations, are inhibited by toxic intermediates produced during denitrification in iron-rich systems. This identifies a previously overlooked stressor impacting mineral formation by photoferrotrophs during early Earth history.

The bioaccumulation of methylmercury in fish and its biomagnification through the food chain is a major public health concern. Differences in fish methylmercury concentration observed between China and the United States highlight the need for a better understanding of region-specific factors that drive its formation and biological uptake.

Plant nitrogen source in the soil is challenging to track. Compiling the most comprehensive global δ¹⁵N dataset, a new study shows the plant use of various available soil nitrogen forms (ammonium, nitrate, and organic nitrogen) is strongly controlled by temperature.

We employed a function-oriented single-cell Raman approach to identify, quantify and sequence active phosphorus solubilizing bacteria from complex soil matrices. The in situ behaviour of phosphorus solubilizing bacteria across diverse soil and fertilization regimes, as well as the key taxa driving active phosphorus solubilization and the genetic determinants underpinning this function, were identified.

Mariculture, or aquaculture in marine coastal environments, can contribute towards projected food demand increases. Greenhouse gas emissions from mariculture, including methane and nitrous oxide, could be 40% lower than emissions from land-based aquaculture.

A field experiment in Uganda shows how potassium and phosphorus keep leaves functioning during times of water scarcity, highlighting the need to consider ecosystem-scale processes in studying the response of forests to nutrient limitation.