Differential aggregation properties among Baltic Sea picocyanobacterial strains impact their export.

Cell aggregation significantly influences sedimentation of Baltic Sea Synechococcus strains, with a strong linear link between aggregation and biomass export.

• Why it matters: Understanding how picocyanobacteria contribute to carbon export is crucial for modeling global carbon cycles, especially since their transport mechanisms remain poorly understood.
• What they did: Analyzing 16S rRNA gene sequences from sediment traps and water samples across depths, the study examined the relationship between surface abundance, aggregation, and sedimentation among different strains.
• The result: Findings reveal that cell aggregation directly drives sedimentation, enabling better predictions of pico-phytoplankton export and highlighting the importance of colony formation in carbon cycling processes.