IRON availability limits phytoplankton growth in large areas of the wo
rld's oceans(1-3) and may influence the strength of the biological car
bon pump(4-5). Very little is known of the iron requirements of oceani
c heterotrophic bacteria, which constitute up to 50% of the total part
iculate organic carbon in open ocean waters(6,7) and are important in
carbon cycling as remineralizers of dissolved organic matter and hence
producers of CO2 (ref. 8). Here we report that oceanic bacteria conta
in more iron per biomass than phytoplankton. Tn the subarctic Pacific,
they constitute a large fraction of biogenic iron and account for 20-
45% of biological iron uptake, Bacterial iron quotas in the field are
similar to those of iran-deficient laboratory cultures, which exhibit
reduced electron transport, slow growth, and low carbon growth efficie
ncy. Heterotrophic bacteria therefore play a major role in the biogeoc
hemical cycling of iron. In situ iron limitation of heterotrophic meta
bolism may have profound effects on carbon Bur in the ocean.