Carlson, Craig A.Craig A.CarlsonLiu, ShutingShutingLiuBRANDON MICHAEL STEPHENSEnglish, Chance J.Chance J.English2025-10-212025-10-2120249780443138584https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85202806999?origin=resultslisthttps://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/732726This chapter provides an introduction and review of the various processes involved in the production, removal, and transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and how these processes control the fluxes, accumulation, and inventory of DOM in the ocean. Here, we present (1) a review of the mechanisms of DOM production, (2) a review of the processes of DOM removal, (3) a review of DOM transformation processes and factors that lead to its accumulation, (4) an examination of the mechanisms that trigger the removal of recalcitrant DOM called the priming effect, (5) several case studies that describe the interaction between microbial community structure and DOM bioavailability.Bacterial carbon demandBacterial growth efficiencyBacterioplanktonBioavailabilityBiological carbon pumpDissolved organic carbonLabileMacroalgaeMicrobial carbon pumpMicrobial oceanographyRecalcitrant[SDGs]SDG14book part10.1016/b978-0-443-13858-4.00013-7