Detritus produced by phytoplankton in the ocean plays a crucial role in nutrient regeneration. The macromolecular allocation within phytoplankton drives the composition of detritus and consequently affects the nutrient levels in the ambient environment. However, the mechanistic quantification of detritus composition changes, its cellular link to phytoplankton, and its contribution to nutrient regeneration has not been extensively studied. This research introduces a novel cell flux model for the production and decomposition of detritus from a macromolecular perspective. We quantified the variability in detritus composition and its response to and feedback on ambient nutrient levels. Our findings indicate that as nutrient concentrations in the environment increase, phytoplankton preferentially allocate nitrogen within cells to proteins and photosynthetic molecules. This results in detritus with higher nitrogen content, which degrades more rapidly, thus accelerating nutrient regeneration cycles. This study provides the first macromolecular perspective on the microbial dynamics of detritus in the ocean and offers new insights for further exploration of detritus on a global ecological scale.
Detritus produced by phytoplankton in the ocean plays a crucial role in nutrient regeneration. The macromolecular allocation within phytoplankton drives the composition of detritus and consequently affects the nutrient levels in the ambient environment. However, the mechanistic quantification of detritus composition changes, its cellular link to phytoplankton, and its contribution to nutrient regeneration has not been extensively studied. This research introduces a novel cell flux model for the production and decomposition of detritus from a macromolecular perspective. We quantified the variability in detritus composition and its response to and feedback on ambient nutrient levels. Our findings indicate that as nutrient concentrations in the environment increase, phytoplankton preferentially allocate nitrogen within cells to proteins and photosynthetic molecules. This results in detritus with higher nitrogen content, which degrades more rapidly, thus accelerating nutrient regeneration cycles. This study provides the first macromolecular perspective on the microbial dynamics of detritus in the ocean and offers new insights for further exploration of detritus on a global ecological scale.

macromolecular model, detritus, phytoplankton