Bacteria Employ 'Herding' Strategy to Avoid Predators, Impacting Global Carbon Cycle

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have uncovered a novel survival mechanism where photosynthetic bacteria form protective "herds" when threatened by predators. This newly identified behavior not only helps the microbes evade consumption but also has significant implications for global carbon storage in aquatic environments. The study suggests that this bacterial defense strategy may lead to increased carbon burial, challenging previous assumptions about predation's effect on the carbon cycle.