Science. 1987 Feb 6;235(4789):689-91. doi: 10.1126/science.235.4789.689.
Microelectrode studies demonstrate the existence of persistent oxygen and pH gradients around flocculent, macroscopic marine particles known as marine snow. Oxygen is partially, but continuously, depleted within and around marine snow in the dark and can be completely depleted within large fecal pellets. Boundary layers hundreds of micrometers thick are maintained despite advection of fluid past the particles. The existence of chemical microhabitats on the scale of millimeters around macroscopic particles in the pelagic zone may significantly influence the distribution and activity of marine microorganisms and permit processes requiring low oxygen, including denitrification.
微电极研究表明，在被称为海洋雪的絮状、宏观海洋颗粒周围存在持续的氧和 pH 值梯度。在黑暗中，海洋雪中的氧会部分但持续地被消耗，而在大型粪便颗粒中则会完全耗尽。尽管有流体流过颗粒，但仍能维持数百微米厚的边界层。在浮游带中，宏观颗粒周围毫米级尺度的化学小生境的存在，可能会显著影响海洋微生物的分布和活性，并允许包括反硝化作用在内的需要低氧的过程。
