# The microbial carbon pump and climate change

*PRI Rank #5 · Topics and Trends in Most Cited Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology Papers, Class of 2026*

*Canonical URL: https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/microbial-community-ecology-and-physiology/2026/rank-5*

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Rank | #5 |
| 18m citations | 136 |
| Journal | Nature Reviews Microbiology |
| Year | 2024 |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41579-024-01018-0 |
| Corresponding authors | Nianzhi Jiao |
| Institution | Xiamen University, China |

**Ranking page:** [Topics and Trends in Most Cited Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology Papers, Class of 2026](https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/microbial-community-ecology-and-physiology/2026)

**Paper link:** [10.1038/s41579-024-01018-0](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-024-01018-0)

## Topics

microbial carbon pump · recalcitrant dissolved organic matter · Microbial metabolism · ocean carbon sequestration · Dissolved organic carbon · carbon cycle feedback · marine microbial communities · refractory organic compounds · biological carbon pump · ocean warming · Microbial transformations · carbon storage timescales · greenhouse gas regulation · Microbial necromass · ocean acidification effects

## Cite this ranking

```
Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/microbial-community-ecology-and-physiology/2026. Accessed 2026-07-21.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459
```