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Cited by 4,871Microbial Community Ecology and PhysiologySoil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsMarine and coastal ecosystems

Prokaryotes: The unseen majority

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Whitman, William B., Coleman, David C., Wiebe, William J.·1998·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.1073/pnas.95.12.6578PMC PMC33863
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Abstract

The number of prokaryotes and the total amount of their cellular carbon on earth are estimated to be 4–6 × 10 30 cells and 350–550 Pg of C (1 Pg = 10 15 g), respectively. Thus, the total amount of prokaryotic carbon is 60–100% of the estimated total carbon in plants, and inclusion of prokaryotic carbon in global models will almost double estimates of the amount of carbon stored in living organisms. In addition, the earth’s prokaryotes contain 85–130 Pg of N and 9–14 Pg of P, or about 10-fold more of these nutrients than do plants, and represent the largest pool of these nutrients in living organisms. Most of the earth’s prokaryotes occur in the open ocean, in soil, and in oceanic and terrestrial subsurfaces, where the numbers of cells are 1.2 × 10 29 , 2.6 × 10 29 , 3.5 × 10 30 , and 0.25–2.5 × 10 30 , respectively. The numbers of heterotrophic prokaryotes in the upper 200 m of the open ocean, the ocean below 200 m, and soil are consistent with average turnover times of 6–25 days, 0.8 yr, and 2.5 yr, respectively. Although subject to a great deal of uncertainty, the estimate for the average turnover time of prokaryotes in the subsurface is on the order of 1–2 × 10 3 yr. The cellular production rate for all prokaryotes on earth is estimated at 1.7 × 10 30 cells/yr and is highest in the open ocean. The large population size and rapid growth of prokaryotes provides an enormous capacity for genetic diversity.

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  • The majority of astrobiological research is focused on the possible existence and detection of microbial life, which is the simplest, most robust, and most abundant form of life on our own planet and therefore is considered to be the most likely form of life to exist on other planets and moons.

    “However, the majority of astrobiological research is focused on the possible existence and detection of microbial life, which is the simplest, most robust, and most abundant form of life on our own planet (Whitman et al., 1998) and therefore is considered to be the most likely form of life to exist on other planets and moons.”

    From The Astrobiology Primer v2.0 (2016) · cites this paper as Whitman et al., 1998

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Research works printed but not linked: 19

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Authors
Whitman, W. B., Coleman, D. C., & Wiebe, W. J.
Affiliations
University of Georgia (US)
ORCID
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences
Published
1998-06-09
Volume
95
Issue
12
Pages
6578-6583
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
DOI
10.1073/pnas.95.12.6578
PMC
PMC33863
OpenAlex
W2118001436
Semantic Scholar
321e4c5e6031364c39db3cfdb151dcc2deaac1ba
Cited by
4,871
References
92
Citations by year
2026: 86 · 2025: 134 · 2024: 159 · 2023: 220 · 2022: 190 · 2021: 252 · 2020: 223 · 2019: 238 · 2018: 273 · 2017: 251 · 2016: 281 · 2015: 282 · 2014: 311 · 2013: 252 · 2012: 238
FWCI
6.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine and coastal ecosystems
Keywords
prokaryotes, nitrogen, phosphorus, open ocean, soil, subsurface environments, genetic diversity
MeSH terms
Prokaryotic Cells

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