MEPS

Marine Ecology Progress Series

MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.

Online: ISSN 1616-1599

Print: ISSN 0171-8630

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps

Volume contents
Mar Ecol Prog Ser 515:73-81 (2014)

Physiological and biochemical responses of diatoms to projected ocean changes

ABSTRACT: With progressive future global change, marine phytoplankton in surface oceans will be subjected to ocean acidification, as well as to increased solar exposures and decreased vertical transport of nutrients from depth due to increasing stratification. We employed a simultaneous multivariate treatment approach to investigate the physiological and biochemical responses of the diatoms Thalassiosira pseudonana and Skeletonema costatum to these projected ocean changes. Diatoms were grown under different ‘clustered’ regimes of solar radiation, nutrients, and pCO2 (pH), reflecting present-day (2011) and potential mid-century (2050) and end-of-century (2100) scenarios. Growth rates, chlorophyll a contents and maximal photochemical quantum yield all decreased from the present to 2100 scenarios. While cellular particulate organic carbon significantly increased in both species along with increased cellular organic C:N ratios, biogenic silica content showed species-specific differences among the cluster treatments. Our results suggest that reduced thickness of the upper mixed layer with enhanced stratification may interact with ocean acidification to influence diatom-related biogeochemical processes by affecting their growth and biochemical composition in species-specific ways.

KEYWORDS

Juntian Xu (Co-author)

  • State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University (Xiang-An campus, ZhouLongQuan A1-211), Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China
  • School of Marine Science and Technology, Huaihai Institute of Technology, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222005, PR China

Kunshan Gao (Corresponding Author)

  • State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University (Xiang-An campus, ZhouLongQuan A1-211), Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China
ksgao@xmu.edu.cn

Yahe Li (Co-author)

  • State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University (Xiang-An campus, ZhouLongQuan A1-211), Xiamen, Fujian 361102, PR China

David A. Hutchins (Co-author)

  • Marine and Environmental Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California,