“…Based on our measurements, we suggest to no longer consider BB as byproducts of HS, as initially postulated in Gaid (2011), in open ocean studies. Overall the results of this study lead to similar conclusions to those obtained from the molecular approach of Osterholz et al ( 2021) that shows a significant increase of the DOM degradation index from surface waters to the deep layers of the south east oligothrophic Pacific Ocean.…”