Dimethyl Sulfide Production and Marine Phytoplankton: The Importance of Species Composition and Cell Size

AbstractThe oceans are the largest natural source of organic sulfur compounds, primarily dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a potentially important factor in the global climate. Significant production of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), the precursor of DMS, is confined to a few classes of phytoplankton, primarily the Dinophyceae (dinoflagellates) and Prymnesiophyceae (which includes coccolithophores). Because of this taxonomic relationship and the spatial and temporal heterogenity of these forms of algae, DMS emissions will vary according to their presence. Current values of DMS production may be considerably underestimated due to sampling inadequacies and a lack of information about biological parameters that affected rate of production.