Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs: their role in carbon utilization under light in freshwater ecosystems

Carbon is the most actively cycled element in the biosphere. Comprehending the carbon cycle is crucial for understanding biological processes. The natural carbon cycle has been imbalanced by anthropogenic activities, resulting in the climate change, and affecting not only wild life, but also human health and well-being. Freshwater lakes are a significant component of the global carbon cycle: they cover only about 3% of Earth's surface, but they bury annually more organic carbon in their sediments than the oceans . Still, they are a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere. Lakes are under substantial anthropogenic pressure, and their contribution to the carbon cycle is changing. Therefore, understating the carbon cycle in lakes is crucial for understanding the global carbon cycle, and forecasting the climate change.