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Rebecca Pickering

Rebecca Pickering

Postdoctoral fellow

Rebecca Pickering

The Silicon Cycle in the Ocean

Author

  • Lucie Cassarino
  • Rebecca Pickering
  • Zhouling Zhang
  • Bianca Liguori

Summary, in English

The element silicon is everywhere! In fact, silicon is the second most abundant element in Earth’s crust. Silicon in rocks and minerals breaks down and is transported from rivers and streams into the world’s oceans. Many marine organisms need silicon as it is a crucial nutrient to build their skeletons. Silicon eventually reaches the seafloor, but its journey into the abyss is not straightforward due to biological, physical, and chemical processes. All these processes transport and transform silicon, creating a cycle that we call the marine silicon cycle. The silicon cycle is directly connected to the carbon cycle, making silicon a key player in the regulation of Earth’s climate. In this article, we discuss why we need to understand the marine silicon cycle, explain the steps that happen in the ocean, and demonstrate how the marine silicon cycle affects humans.

Department/s

  • Lithosphere and Biosphere Science

Publishing year

2024-01-25

Language

English

Publication/Series

Frontiers for Young Minds

Volume

11

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Frontiers Media S. A.

Topic

  • Earth and Related Environmental Sciences

Keywords

  • Silicon
  • Diatom
  • Sponge
  • Radiolarians
  • Silicon Cycle

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2296-6846