Hoppe HG, Breithaupt P, Walther K, Koppe R, Bleck S, Sommer U,
Jürgens K

Climate warming in winter affects the coupling between phytoplankton and bacteria during the spring bloom: a mesocosm study

Climate change is expected to increase the present water temperature up to 5°C in the temperate climate belt, particularly during winter and spring. This will have consequences for the function and structure of the marine food web and hence CO₂ recycling. The authors investigated temperature dependent changes in the time lag between phytoplankton production and bacterial degradation of organic matter by mesocosm experiments. Shortening of this time lag by acceleration of bacterial peak development suggests a faster and more effective recycling of organic matter accompanied by changes in the relationships between primary production, bacterial growth and respiration. The acceleration of bacterial degradation in relation to primary production was determined to be 2d per °C of warming.

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