{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T17:12:58Z","timestamp":1792602778488,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":109,"publisher":"National Academy of Sciences","issue":"48","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,24]],"date-time":"2025-11-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763942400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000001","name":"NSF","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["OCE-2224726"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["OCE-2224726"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000001","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000001","name":"NSF","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["OCE-1851347"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["OCE-1851347"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000001","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000192","name":"DOC | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["NOAA-NOSNCCOS-2017-2004875"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NOAA-NOSNCCOS-2017-2004875"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000192","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000001","name":"NSF","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["DMR-2128556"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DMR-2128556"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000001","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.pnas.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The marine biological carbon pump is driven by sinking particulate organic matter (POM). Sinking speed and remineralization rate determine flux attenuation in the mesopelagic. Since the fate of all marine organic matter is either complete remineralization or transformation to more stable products, diagenetic modifications impact carbon dioxide sequestration time from the atmosphere. To investigate particle transformation at the molecular level, we characterize the water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) fraction of sinking particles from dominant biogeochemical environments using ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry. We find distinct, inverse associations in molecular-level nitrogen content and degree of transformation (i.e., \u201cstability\u201d) of organic matter across a productivity gradient from coastal upwelling to oligotrophic conditions. Nitrogen enrichment and low stability were observed at the coastal upwelling site and persisted to depths &gt;400 m. Further, carbon flux is strongly correlated with the relative abundance of stable WEOM (\u201cIsland of Stability\u201d molecular formulae) across productivity regimes and depth. This suggests emergent patterns in epi- and mesopelagic diagenesis, highlighting that the molecular composition of sinking organic matter exiting the euphotic zone varies more across regions than as a function of depth. This is attributed to highly variable sinking rates and the microbial diagenetic histories within the euphotic zone. The stability\u2013flux relationship is considered a \u201cdiagenetic clock\u201d relative to organic matter formation where the relative abundance of Island of Stability molecular formulae describes the degree of departure from the organic matter molecular-level composition at formation. This ubiquitous trajectory of the diagenetic clock further underpins a global ocean molecular signature of sinking POM.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2504769122","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,24]],"date-time":"2025-11-24T20:13:16Z","timestamp":1764015196000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.cm10313","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["The molecular-level diagenetic clock of sinking marine organic matter"],"prefix":"10.1073","volume":"122","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9648-086X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Heather J.","family":"Forrer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Geochemistry Group and Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science Department, Florida State University","place":["Tallahassee"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7696-6739","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael R.","family":"Stukel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science Department, Florida State University","place":["Tallahassee"]},{"name":"Center for Ocean Atmosphere Prediction Studies, Florida State University","place":["Tallahassee"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7213-521X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amy M.","family":"McKenna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Ion Cyclotron Resonance Facility","place":["Tallahassee"]},{"name":"Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University","place":["Fort Collins"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Huan","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Ion Cyclotron Resonance Facility","place":["Tallahassee"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7091-9416","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amy D.","family":"Holt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Geochemistry Group and Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science Department, Florida State University","place":["Tallahassee"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sven A.","family":"Kranz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science Department, Florida State University","place":["Tallahassee"]},{"name":"Department of BioSciences, Rice University","place":["Houston"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0777-0748","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robert G. M.","family":"Spencer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Geochemistry Group and Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science Department, Florida State University","place":["Tallahassee"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"341","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_4_1_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4319\/lo.2009.54.4.1210"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-019-1098-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fmars.2020.00518"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4319\/lo.2001.46.2.0267"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3354\/ame028175"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.aay1790"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0016-7037(97)00312-8"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/2014GB005063"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/359139a0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0198-0149(87)90086-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/332438a0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ngeo612"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1415311112"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-023-37771-8"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4319\/lo.1996.41.1.0041"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5194\/bg-9-1935-2012"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gca.2013.10.039"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4319\/lo.1997.42.8.1803"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2011GL048620"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ngeo2830"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gca.2013.11.009"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.7b05513"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2017GB005854"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marchem.2015.06.001"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/2014GL062663"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvman.2023.118559"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-marine-120709-142731"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_28_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4319\/lo.2009.54.6.1951"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41561-021-00817-x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2010GL043827"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_31_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/2017GB005638"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00216-007-1577-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/plankt\/fbab001"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_34_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1918114117"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_35_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsr2.2013.01.035"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_36_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsr2.2013.01.008"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_37_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsr2.2008.02.007"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_38_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/plankt\/fbv097"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_39_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0967-0645(96)00016-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_40_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marchem.2017.06.009"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_41_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2020GL087351"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_42_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/2014JC010472"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_43_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1609435114"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_44_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0967-0645(99)00085-5"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_45_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsr2.2008.04.024"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_46_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0079-6611(01)00079-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_47_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0198-0149(92)90060-7"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_48_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0967-0645(02)00585-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_49_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3354\/meps170001"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_50_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marchem.2016.06.001"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_51_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marchem.2010.03.011"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_52_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2343\/geochemj.38.601"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_53_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsr2.2008.11.032"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_54_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/2014GL061678"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_55_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5194\/bg-7-2613-2010"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_56_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4319\/lo.2008.53.5.1878"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_57_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4319\/lo.2008.53.2.0469"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_58_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsr.2018.07.012"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_59_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3354\/meps10453"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_60_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2004GB002221"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_61_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/2251069a0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_62_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.orggeochem.2008.01.009"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_63_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3354\/meps076149"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_64_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0198-0149(83)90052-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_65_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.isci.2023.106812"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_66_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1942268"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_67_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/rcm.2386"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_68_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-023-40774-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_69_2","first-page":"229","article-title":"Particulate organic carbon in the deep sea","volume":"14","author":"Menzel D. W.","year":"1967","unstructured":"D. W. Menzel, Particulate organic carbon in the deep sea. Deep Sea Res. 14, 229\u2013238 (1967).","journal-title":"Deep Sea Res."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_70_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/330246a0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_71_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/347172a0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_72_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0198-0149(79)90089-X"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_73_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0967-0645(96)00002-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_74_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1357\/002224088785113522"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_75_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1357\/002224007781567621"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_76_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marchem.2019.01.003"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_77_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pocean.2020.102317"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_78_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/plankt\/fbab028"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_79_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5194\/acp-8-5099-2008"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_80_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5194\/acp-14-8419-2014"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_81_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.atmosenv.2011.10.001"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_82_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2021JD036168"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_83_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/es061711l"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_84_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.atmosres.2016.06.019"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_85_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.atmosenv.2012.09.071"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_86_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marchem.2014.01.012"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_87_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2011JG001798"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_88_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4319\/lom.2008.6.230"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_89_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2022GB007495"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_90_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.1c04566"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_91_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41561-019-0384-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_92_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ngeo2440"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_93_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/lom3.10603"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_94_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s13361-015-1182-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_95_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.analchem.7b04159"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_96_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jasms.2004.11.003"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_97_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/ac101091w"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_98_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/ac102943z"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_99_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.analchem.2c02377"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_100_2","unstructured":"Y. E. Corilo PetroOrg software (Omics LLC Florida State University Tallahassee FL 2014)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_101_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/rcm.7433"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_102_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0053550"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_103_2","unstructured":"P. Raybaut \u201cSpyder-documentation\u201d. arXiv [Preprint] (2009). https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/1309.0238 (Accessed 1 May 2020)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_104_2","unstructured":"L. Buitinck \u201cAPI design for machine learning software: Experiences from the scikit-learn project\u201d arXiv [Preprint] (2013). https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/1309.0238 (Accessed 18 June 2020)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_105_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41592-019-0686-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_106_2","unstructured":"A. M. Mckenna H. J. Forrer H. Chen R. G. M. Spencer P20214_Characterization of sediment trap water soluble organic matter (WSOM). Open Science Framework (Version 1) (2024). https:\/\/osf.io\/de4yx\/overview. Accessed 31 January 2023."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_107_2","unstructured":"California Current Ecosystem LTER Cruise data. Datazoo (2023). https:\/\/oceaninformatics.ucsd.edu\/datazoo\/catalogs\/ccelter\/sources. Accessed 1 August 2023."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_108_2","unstructured":"M. R. Stukel T. Kelly Sediment trap carbon nitrogen and isotope pigment and 234Th flux from deployments during R\/V Nancy Foster cruises NF1704 and NF1802 in the Gulf of Mexico in May 2017 and 2018. Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO) Version 1 (2021). https:\/\/www.bco-dmo.org\/dataset\/836216. Accessed 15 April 2023."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_109_2","unstructured":"M. R. Stukel Indian Ocean Sediment Trap Data collected from R\/V Roger Revelle Cruise RR2201 in the Eastern Indian Ocean (Argo Basin) during February 2022 (BLOOFINZ-IO project). Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO) Version 1 (2025). https:\/\/www.bco-dmo.org\/dataset\/944902. Accessed 12 March 2024."}],"container-title":["Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/pnas.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1073\/pnas.2504769122","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/pnas.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1073\/pnas.2504769122","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,24]],"date-time":"2025-11-24T20:13:55Z","timestamp":1764015235000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2504769122"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,24]]},"references-count":109,"journal-issue":{"issue":"48","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,2]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1073\/pnas.2504769122"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2504769122","relation":{},"ISSN":["0027-8424","1091-6490"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0027-8424","type":"print"},{"value":"1091-6490","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,24]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-02-28","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-10-07","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-11-24","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e2504769122"}}