New research from Flinders University reveals that ocean acidification is disrupting diatoms' ability to capture carbon, potentially destabilizing marine food webs. This shift could have severe implications for deep-sea carbon sequestration.

Diatoms are crucial microalgae that form the base of many aquatic ecosystems and play a significant role in global carbon cycling. The study highlights how increasing acidity levels can alter diatom physiology, reducing their effectiveness as natural carbon sinks.

The long-term vulnerability of marine environments to acidification could lead to cascading effects throughout food chains, impacting fisheries and coastal economies that depend on healthy oceanic ecosystems.