New BOKU study provides important insights into previously poorly understood processes at the boundary between water and the atmosphere.
Microalgae - tiny plants that live in water - release certain gases that can contribute to the formation of clouds in the atmosphere. Dimethyl sulphide (DMS), a sulphur gas that influences cloud formation, among other things, and thus indirectly controls the Earth’s climate, is particularly important.
From the wave to the cloud
In a study, Bernadette Rosati from the Institute of Meteorology and Climatology at BOKU University investigated what happens when microalgae are released from the water into the air through air bubbles - a process that occurs constantly in nature, for example when ocean waves break. To this end, both freshwater and saltwater microalgae were specifically "foamed" in the laboratory.
"Our results show that air bubbles play a key role in transporting this climate-impacting gas from the water into the atmosphere," explains Rosati, who is also first author of the study. "Wave movements in the sea are therefore far more than just a physical phenomenon - they also influence chemical processes with a global impact."
Short journey with a big message
At the same time, the researchers were able to observe that the bubbles also transported microalgae themselves into the air. However, only around half survived this process - and even these cells were unable to reproduce later. It is therefore unlikely that microalgae spread widely through the air. "This means that although microalgae are transported into the air in the short term, they hardly have the potential to colonize new habitats," says Rosati.
The key message of the study: even if microalgae hardly colonize new habitats via the air, their influence on the climate remains significant - especially through the release of DMS. The results will help to improve climate models and better understand the complex interactions between oceans, atmosphere and climate.
Rosati, B., Skønager, J.T., Bektassov, M. et al. Aerosolisation of microalgae: unveiling dimethyl-sulfide emissions during bubbling. npj Clim Atmos Sci 9, 32 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01305-4
