Oceanic Phytoplankton Research Articles

Ocean nourishment sequestering carbon dioxide in the deep ocean

Ocean nourishment sequestering carbon dioxide in the deep ocean Phytoplankton have been essential to life on Earth for over 35 billion years. Through photosynthesis, they consume carbon dioxide on a scale comparable to that of forests and other land plants. Edwina Tanner from the WhaleX Foundation shares insights on this and discusses the potential for plankton-based solutions in marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) and ocean nourishment. Great whales act as climate engineers, stimulating productivity by providing nutrients to microscopic phytoplankton, the planet’s real climate giants. Millions of tiny phytoplankton are critical components of the Earth’s system, producing at least 50% of the oxygen we breathe and playing a crucial role in the global carbon cycle. They are the invisible forest that represents around 80% of the biomass in the ocean that is eaten or dies and then sinks as marine snow to sequester gigatonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide annually. Measurements by satellites show that phytoplankton represent the ‘fast’ carbon cycle that operates on the scale of days to weeks compared to decades or centuries, as do the forests on land. The UN Plankton Manifesto recognizes the heavy lifting that phytoplankton do, outlining the triple planetary crisis - biodiversity, climate, and pollution that plankton-based solutions can address (United Nations, 2024).

Temperature-enhanced effects of iron on Southern Ocean phytoplankton

Abstract. Iron (Fe) is a key limiting nutrient for Southern Ocean phytoplankton. Input of Fe into the Southern Ocean is projected to change due to global warming, yet the combined effects of a concurrent increase in temperature with dissolved Fe (dFe) addition on phytoplankton growth and community composition have not been extensively studied. To improve our understanding of how Antarctic phytoplankton communities respond to Fe and enhanced temperature, we performed four full factorial onboard bioassays under trace-metal-clean conditions with phytoplankton communities from different regions of the Weddell Sea and the Amundsen Sea in the Southern Ocean. Treatments consisted of 2 nM Fe addition with 2 °C warming (TF), Fe addition at in situ temperature (F) +2 °C warming with no Fe addition (T) and a control at in situ temperature with no Fe addition (control, C). Temperature had a limited effect by itself but boosted the positive response of the phytoplankton to Fe addition. Photosynthetic efficiency, phytoplankton abundances and chlorophyll a concentrations typically increased (significantly) with Fe addition (F and/or TF treatment), and the phytoplankton community generally shifted from haptophytes to diatoms upon Fe addition. The < 20 µm phytoplankton fraction displayed population-specific growth responses, resulting in a pronounced shift in community composition and size distribution (mainly towards larger-sized phytoplankton) for the F and TF treatments. Such a distinct enhanced impact of dFe supply with warming on Antarctic phytoplankton size, growth and composition will likely affect trophic transfer efficiency and ecosystem structure, with potential significance for the biological carbon pump.

Carbon-centric dynamics of Earth’s marine phytoplankton

Marine phytoplankton are fundamental to Earth's ecology and biogeochemistry. Our understanding of the large-scale dynamics of phytoplankton biomass has greatly benefited from, and is largely based on, satellite ocean color observations from which chlorophyll-a (Chla), a commonly used proxy for carbon biomass, can be estimated. However, ocean color satellites only measure a small portion of the surface ocean, meaning that subsurface phytoplankton biomass is not directly monitored. Chla is also an imperfect proxy for carbon biomass because cellular physiology drives large variations in their ratio. The global network of Biogeochemical (BGC)-Argo floats now makes it possible to complement satellite observations by addressing both these issues at once. In our study, we use ~100,000 water-column profiles from BGC-Argo to describe Earth's phytoplankton carbon biomass and its spatiotemporal variability. We estimate the global stock of open ocean phytoplankton biomass at ~314 Tg C, half of which is present at depths not accessible through satellite detection. We also compare the seasonal cycles of carbon biomass stocks and surface Chla visible from space and find that surface Chla does not accurately identify the timing of the peak annual biomass in two-thirds of the ocean. Our study is a demonstration of global-scale, depth-resolved monitoring of Earth's phytoplankton, which will be crucial for understanding future climate-related changes and the effects of geoengineering interventions if implemented.

Drivers of phytoplankton distribution, abundance and community composition off East Antarctica, from 55-80°E (CCAMLR Division 58.4.2 East)

Southern Ocean phytoplankton form the base of the Antarctic food web, influencing higher trophic levels through biomass and community structure. We examined phytoplankton distribution and abundance in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean during austral summer as part a multidisciplinary ecosystem survey: Trends in Euphausiids off Mawson, Predators and Oceanography (TEMPO, 2021). Sampling covered six meridional transects from 55-80°E, and from 62°S or 63°S to the ice edge. To determine phytoplankton groups, CHEMTAX analysis was undertaken on pigments measured using HPLC. Diatoms were the dominant component of phytoplankton communities, explaining 56% of variation in chlorophyll a (Chl a), with haptophytes also being a major component. Prior to sampling the sea ice had retreated in a south-westerly direction, leading to shorter ice-free periods in the west (< 44 days, ≤65°E) compared to east (> 44 days, ≥70°E), inducing a strong seasonal effect. The east was nutrient limited, indicated by low-iron forms of haptophytes, and higher silicate:nitrate drawdown ratios (5.1 east vs 4.3 west), pheophytin a (phaeo) concentrations (30.0 vs 18.4 mg m-2) and phaeo:Chl a ratios (1.06 vs 0.53). Biological influences were evident at northern stations between 75-80°E, where krill “super-swarms” and feeding whales were observed. Here, diatoms were depleted from surface waters likely due to krill grazing, as indicated by high phaeo:Chl a ratios (> 0.75), and continued presence of haptophytes, associated with inefficient filtering or selective grazing by krill. Oceanographic influences included deeper mixed layers reducing diatom biomass, and a bloom to the north of the southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front in the western survey area thought to be sinking as waters flowed from west to east. Haptophytes were influenced by the Antarctic Slope Front with high-iron forms prevalent to the south only, showing limited iron transfer from coastal waters. Cryptophytes were associated with meltwater, and greens (chlorophytes + prasinophytes) were prevalent below the mixed layer. The interplay of seasonal, biological and oceanographic influences on phytoplankton populations during TEMPO had parallels with processes observed in the BROKE and BROKE-West voyages conducted 25 and 15 years earlier, respectively. Our research consolidates understanding of the krill ecosystem to ensure sustainable management in East Antarctic waters.

Cross-frontal variability of phytoplankton productivity in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean during austral summer of 2010–2018

Oceanic phytoplankton productivity, which regulates atmospheric CO2, is crucial for unraveling the complexities of the global carbon cycle. Despite its substantial contribution to the global carbon budget and its critical role in anthropogenic carbon sink, the Southern Ocean (SO) remains under-sampled due to logistical challenges. The present study attempts to elucidate the variability of water column primary production (PP) in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean (ISSO) by examining associated physicochemical parameters and physiological conditions of phytoplankton that drive this variability. The study revealed the nutrient limitation in the region north of the Subantarctic Front (SAF) and light limitation coupled with intense zooplankton grazing in the region south of the SAF. Coastal waters exhibit higher PP, characterized by the prevalence of large phytoplankton. The SAF displayed maximum productivity among the fronts, while the Polar Front 2 (PF-2) recorded the lowest. The water column PP varies from 27.01 to 960.69 mg C m−2 d−1 in the frontal region, while the coastal waters recorded productivity up to 1083.56 mg C m−2 d−1. Phytoplankton in the frontal regions indicated a stable surface abundance, except north of the Subtropical Front (STF), where the oligotrophic condition fosters the growth of picoplankton, subjected to high grazing by microzooplankton. Conversely, in the colder coastal waters, the phytoplankton experienced physiological acclimation. Model-based estimates of PP highlighted the efficacy of the Carbon-based Production Model (CbPM) in estimating net PP (NPP) in these polar waters, surpassing the Vertically Generalized Production Model (VGPM) and Eppley-VGPM. Notably, all model-based PP estimates significantly improved with in situ chlorophyll as input instead of satellite-retrieved chlorophyll. While the models performed well in the coastal water, their performance was suboptimal in the frontal region. This study advances our understanding of the intricate dynamics of phytoplankton productivity in the SO, offering valuable insights for future research endeavors.

A benthic source of isotopically heavy Ni from continental margins and implications for global ocean Ni isotope mass balance

Nickel (Ni) is a bio-essential element for phytoplankton in the modern oceans, and yet, the global ocean mass balance of Ni has puzzled scientists for decades. Many estimates of total Ni output flux are larger than the total Ni input flux to the ocean. The measurement of Ni stable isotopes (δ60Ni) in earth materials may inform our understanding of ocean biogeochemistry and redox conditions in both the modern ocean and the geological past. An ocean Ni stable isotope imbalance has also concerned scientists, with a global ocean δ60Ni of +1.4 ‰ which is notably heavier than the major source of Ni to the oceans from rivers. Recent efforts to resolve Ni and δ60Ni imbalances have focused on the role which manganese (Mn) oxides play in marine Ni cycling, both in the water column and in marine sediments. Manganese oxide rich marine sediments can supply isotopically heavy dissolved Ni to porewater fluids and seawater, but the source of the isotopically heavy porewater Ni remains unclear. Here we present porewater trace metal concentrations and δ60Ni from two sites from the continental margin off southern California. Porewater Ni concentrations are up to roughly 100-fold higher than deep seawater concentrations (∼1 μM compared to 10 nM, respectively). Porewater δ60Ni is near 0 ‰ in the subsurface region where Ni concentrations are highest, suggesting dissolution of lithogenic material from sediments. Porewater δ60Ni increases dramatically towards the sediment-water interface with values of up to +2.66 ‰, which to our knowledge are the heaviest Ni isotope compositions ever reported for natural materials. Measurements of porewater and sediment Ni and Mn concentrations suggest that Ni is released to porewaters in the Mn-reducing zone, and then removed by newly precipitated Mn oxides as Mn and Ni move towards the oxygenated zone of sediments. A simple Rayleigh model suggests a Ni isotope fractionation of factor of -0.61 ‰ for Ni sorption onto Mn oxides, while a diffusion-reaction model suggests a Ni isotope fractionation of -1.80 to -0.96 ‰, always with preferential adsorption of lighter Ni isotopes. This flux of Ni toward the sediment-water interface, coupled with preferential removal of lighter Ni isotopes in marine sediments, provides evidence supporting an isotopically heavy benthic source of new Ni to the oceans, which we estimate has a magnitude of 0.65 × 108 to 1.66 × 108 moles/year. We find that a benthic flux such as measured here over just 0.27-2.70 % of the ocean seafloor could mix with the river δ60Ni of +0.8 ‰ to achieve the observed deep ocean δ60Ni of +1.4 ‰. This study reveals the similarities in how rivers and continental margin sediments supply heavy Ni isotopes to the ocean. In both continental rivers and margin sediments, terrigenous Ni is released with an δ60Ni near 0.1 ‰, but lighter isotopes are captured by precipitation onto oxides so that the dissolved flux to the ocean is isotopically heavier than the terrigenous material from which Ni was released, and in the case of margin sediments may be heavier than even bulk seawater δ60Ni. We thus recognize continental margin sediments with active Mn cycling as a ‘new’ source of isotopically heavy dissolved Ni to the ocean.

Zinc stimulation of phytoplankton in a low carbon dioxide, coastal Antarctic environment.

Zinc (Zn) is a key micronutrient used by phytoplankton for carbon (C) acquisition, yet there have been few observations of its influence on natural oceanic phytoplankton populations. In this study, we observed Zn limitation of growth in the natural phytoplankton community of Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica, due to low (~220 μatm) pCO2 conditions, in addition to primary iron (Fe) limitation. Shipboard incubation experiments amended with Zn and Fe resulted in significantly higher chlorophyll a content and dissolved inorganic carbon drawdown compared to Fe addition alone. Zn and Fe response proteins detected in incubation and environmental biomass provided independent verification of algal co-stress for these micronutrients. These observations of Zn limitation under low pCO2 conditions demonstrate Zn can influence coastal primary productivity. Yet, as surface ocean pCO2 rises with continued anthropogenic emissions, the occurrence of Zn/C co-limitation will become rarer, impacting the biogeochemical cycling of Zn and other trace metal micronutrients.

Southern Ocean phytoplankton under climate change: a shifting balance of bottom-up and top-down control

Abstract. Phytoplankton form the base of the marine food web by transforming CO2 into organic carbon via photosynthesis. Despite the importance of phytoplankton for marine ecosystems and global carbon cycling, projections of phytoplankton biomass in response to climate change differ strongly across Earth system models, illustrating uncertainty in our understanding of the underlying processes. Differences are especially large in the Southern Ocean, a region that is notoriously difficult to represent in models. Here, we argue that total (depth-integrated) phytoplankton biomass in the Southern Ocean is projected to largely remain unchanged under climate change by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) multi-model ensemble because of a shifting balance of bottom-up and top-down processes driven by a shoaling mixed-layer depth. A shallower mixed layer is projected on average to improve growth conditions, consequently weaken bottom-up control, and confine phytoplankton closer to the surface. An increase in the phytoplankton concentration promotes zooplankton grazing efficiency, thus intensifying top-down control. However, large differences across the model ensemble exist, with some models simulating a decrease in surface phytoplankton concentrations. To reduce uncertainties in projections of surface phytoplankton concentrations, we employ an emergent constraint approach using the observed sensitivity of surface chlorophyll concentration, taken as an observable proxy for phytoplankton, to seasonal changes in the mixed-layer depth as an indicator for future changes in surface phytoplankton concentrations. The emergent constraint reduces uncertainties in surface phytoplankton concentration projections by around one-third and increases confidence that surface phytoplankton concentrations will indeed rise due to shoaling mixed layers under global warming, thus favouring intensified top-down control. Overall, our results suggest that while changes in bottom-up conditions stimulate enhanced growth, intensified top-down control opposes an increase in phytoplankton and becomes increasingly important for the phytoplankton response to climate change in the Southern Ocean.

Response of Southern Ocean Resource Stress in a Changing Climate

AbstractPhytoplankton underpin ocean net primary production (NPP) and Southern Ocean phytoplankton display different ecological‐biogeochemical traits, compared to temperate species. Climate models currently forecast consistent across‐model NPP increases due to climate change, yet neglect specific aspects of the Southern Ocean ecological‐biogeochemical system. We conducted experiments to evaluate how key regional traits, including multiple limiting nutrients, unique photophysiology and differential resource acquisition, drive changes in the projected response of resource stress, NPP and export production under a high emissions scenario. Although Southern Ocean iron limitation is widespread, it declines in the future and is replaced by growing manganese limitation, as concentrations cannot support increasing growth rates. Distinct phytoplankton traits either amplify or dampen climate‐driven changes, depending on whether they are those typical of Antarctic or temperate phytoplankton, respectively. Overall, future Southern Ocean NPP trends may be more uncertain than currently assumed and future efforts should focus on accounting for regional ecological‐biogeochemical differences.

Efficient single-scattering lookup table for lidar and polarimeter phytoplankton studies.

Coupled atmosphere and ocean remote sensing retrievals of aerosol, cloud, and oceanic phytoplankton microphysical properties, such as those carried out by the NASA Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, involve single-scattering calculations that are time consuming. Lookup tables (LUTs) exist to speed up these calculations for aerosol and water droplets in the atmosphere. In our new Lorenz-Mie lookup table, we tabulate single scattering by an ensemble of coated isotropic spheres representing oceanic phytoplankton at wavelengths from 0.355 µm. The lookup table covers phytoplankton particles with radii in the range of 0.15-100 µm at an increase of up to 104 in computational speed compared to single-scattering calculations. The allowed complex refractive indices range from 1.05 to 1.24 for the shell's real part, from 10-7 to 0.3 for the shell's imaginary part, from 0 to 0.001 for the core's imaginary part, and equal to 1.02 for the core's real part. We show that we precisely compute inherent optical properties for the phytoplankton size distributions ranging up to 5 µm for the effective radius and up to 0.6 for the effective variance. We test wavelengths from 0.355 to 1.065 µm and find that all the inherent optical properties of interest agree with the single-scattering calculations to within 1% for 99.9% of cases. We also provide an example of using the lookup table to reproduce the phytoplankton optical datasets listed in the PANGAEA database for synthetic hyperspectral algorithm development. The table together with C++, Fortran, MATLAB, and Python codes to apply different complex refractive indices and phytoplankton size distributions is freely available online.

Seasonal variations in chlorophyll–a and sea surface temperature in the exclusive economic zone of Sri Lanka

Oceanic phytoplankton plays a crucial role in regulating the biogeochemical cycle in marine ecosystems. Light harvesting pigments such as chlorophyll–a (chl–a) can be used to understand marine primary productivity, especially phytoplankton abundance. Sea surface temperature is closely linked with phytoplankton abundance and climatic changes. The objective of the current study is to determine spatial and temporal variations of chl–a and sea surface temperature and their co-variation, over 12 years using statistical methodologies and Remote Sensing, Geographic Information System (GIS) and Cloud Computing Approach. In this study, the available sea surface temperature and chl–a data acquired from a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite sensor were proceeded through Google Earth Engine and Earth Science Data System. Data visualization was carried out using ArcMap™ software. Results show a weak negative linear relationship (−0.40, P < 0.05) between sea surface temperature and chl–a. Therefore, additional favorable environmental factors such as coastal upwelling, and nutrient discharge through river run-off can control the primary productivity of phytoplankton. We also illustrated spatial and temporal maps for chl–a and sea surface temperature distribution in the exclusive economic zone of Sri Lanka. Chlorophyll–a concentration is enhanced during the southwest monsoon, and the lowest concentration is observed during the first inter-monsoon period. Next, the highest sea surface temperature is recorded during the first inter-monsoon period, and the lowest sea surface temperature is observed during the northeast monsoon. Seasonal behavior of chl–a concentration and sea surface temperature are changed as chl–a (SWM) > chl–a (NEM) > chl–a (SIM) > chl–a (FIM) and SST (FIM) > SST (SIM) > SST (SWM) > SST (NEM), respectively. In addition, both trend lines for each variable show a positive gradient, which may be attributed to global warming. Finally, we observed the alteration of chl–a and sea surface temperature that linked to changes in ocean chemistry during the global COVID–19 pandemic.

Characterization of a Southern Ocean deep chlorophyll maximum: Response of phytoplankton to light, iron, and manganese enrichment

AbstractSouthern Ocean phytoplankton growth is limited by low iron (Fe) supply and irradiance, impacting the strength of the biological carbon pump. Unfavorable upper ocean conditions, such as low nutrient concentrations, can lead to the formation of deep chlorophyll or biomass maxima (DCM/DBM). While common in the Southern Ocean, these features remain understudied due to their subsurface location. To increase our understanding of their occurrence, we studied the responses of phytoplankton communities from a Southern Ocean DCM to increasing light, Fe, and manganese (Mn) levels. The DCM communities were light‐ and Fe‐limited, but light limitation did not increase phytoplankton Fe requirements. The greatest physiological responses were observed under combined Fe/light additions, which stimulated macronutrient drawdown, biomass production and the growth of large diatoms. Combined Mn/light additions induced subtle changes in Fe uptake rates and community composition, suggesting species‐specific Mn requirements. These results provide valuable information on Southern Ocean DCM phytoplankton physiology.

Fluorescence-based primary productivity estimates are influenced by non-photochemical quenching dynamics in Arctic phytoplankton.

Chlorophyll fluorescence-based estimates of primary productivity typically include dark or low-light pre-treatments to relax non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), a process that influences the relationship between PSII photochemistry and fluorescence yields. The time-scales of NPQ relaxation vary significantly between phytoplankton taxa and across environmental conditions, creating uncertainty in field-based productivity measurements derived from fluorescence. To address this practical challenge, we used fast repetition rate fluorometry to characterize NPQ relaxation kinetics in Arctic Ocean phytoplankton assemblages across a range of hydrographic regimes. Applying numerical fits to our data, we derived NPQ relaxation life times, and determined the relative contributions of various quenching components to the total NPQ signature across the different assemblages. Relaxation kinetics were best described as a combination of fast-, intermediate- and slow-relaxing processes, operating on time-scales of seconds, minutes, and hours, respectively. Across sampling locations and depths, total fluorescence quenching was dominated by the intermediate quenching component. Our results demonstrated an average NPQ relaxation life time of 20 ± 1.9 min, with faster relaxation among high light acclimated surface samples relative to lowlight acclimated sub-surface samples. We also used our results to examine the influence of NPQ relaxation on estimates of photosynthetic electron transport rates (ETR), testing the commonly held assumption that NPQ exerts proportional effects on light absorption (PSII functional absorption cross section, σPSII) and photochemical quantum efficiency (FV/FM). This assumption was violated in a number of phytoplankton assemblages that showed a significant decoupling of σPSII and FV/FM during NPQ relaxation, and an associated variability in ETR estimates. Decoupling of σPSII and FV/FM was most prevalent in samples displaying symptoms photoinhibition. Our results provide insights into the mechanisms and kinetics of NPQ in Arctic phytoplankton assemblages, with important implications for the use of FRRF to derive non-invasive, high-resolution estimates of photosynthetic activity in polar marine waters.

A global daily gap-filled chlorophyll-a dataset in open oceans during 2001–2021 from multisource information using convolutional neural networks

Abstract. Ocean color data are essential for developing our understanding of biological and ecological phenomena and processes and also of important sources of input for physical and biogeochemical ocean models. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) is a critical variable of ocean color in the marine environment. Quantitative retrieval from satellite remote sensing is a main way to obtain large-scale oceanic Chl-a. However, missing data are a major limitation in satellite remote-sensing-based Chl-a products due mostly to the influence of cloud, sun glint contamination, and high satellite viewing angles. The common methods to reconstruct (gap fill) missing data often consider spatiotemporal information of initial images alone, such as Data Interpolating Empirical Orthogonal Functions, optimal interpolation, Kriging interpolation, and the extended Kalman filter. However, these methods do not perform well in the presence of large-scale missing values in the image and overlook the valuable information available from other datasets for data reconstruction. Here, we developed a convolutional neural network (CNN) named Ocean Chlorophyll-a concentration reconstruction by convolutional neural NETwork (OCNET) for Chl-a concentration data reconstruction in open-ocean areas, considering environmental variables that are associated with ocean phytoplankton growth and distribution. Sea surface temperature (SST), salinity (SAL), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and sea surface pressure (SSP) from reanalysis data and satellite observations were selected as the input of OCNET to correlate with the environment and phytoplankton biomass. The developed OCNET model achieves good performance in the reconstruction of global open ocean Chl-a concentration data and captures spatiotemporal variations of these features. The reconstructed Chl-a data are available online at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10011908 (Hong et al., 2023). This study also shows the potential of machine learning in large-scale ocean color data reconstruction and offers the possibility of predicting Chl-a concentration trends in a changing environment.

Variability in zinc:phosphorous and zinc:silicon ratios and zinc isotope fractionation in Southern Ocean diatoms: Observations from laboratory and field experiments

We studied the impact of iron limitation on zinc uptake and the zinc isotope (δ66Zn) composition for Southern Ocean phytoplankton. We undertook laboratory culture and field incubation experiments, and linked these to in situ depth profiles of dissolved (dZn) and particulate (pZn) zinc collected from three sites in the Southern Ocean. For the laboratory experiments, diatom growth rates, cellular zinc accumulation, and δ66Zn all responded to changes in iron and zinc bioavailability. A significant increase in the cellular quota for zinc (expressed as zinc:phosphorous (Zn:P)) occurred upon iron limitation and zinc enrichment. At the same time, δ66Zn for organic tissues became isotopically light under high zinc and low iron concentrations. The opposite occurred for frustule δ66Zn values. Here δ66Znfrustule-organic for cultured phytoplankton became isotopically heavier under high zinc and low iron concentrations. For senescing and dead cells, Zn:P declined and δ66Zn increased, indicating a loss of isotopically light zinc from organic matter. For field incubation experiments, δ66Znfrustule was isotopically heavier than seawater, except for added zinc treatments. The percentage of zinc associated with frustule material for laboratory and field incubations encompassed a wide range with values between 1 and 57%. Depth profiles of δ66Zn for dZn and pZn varied, with dZn being isotopically lighter than pZn in low dZn concentration subantarctic waters, whereas the opposite occurred in polar waters where dZn was isotopically heavier than pZn at higher dZn concentrations. Our results show that iron and zinc availability regulates the zinc content of phytoplankton and the δ66Zn composition of the Southern Ocean, which is propagated to other parts of the world ocean.

Genetic and phenotypic intra-species diversity of alga Tisochrysis lutea reveals original genetic structure and domestication potential

ABSTRACT Oceanic phytoplankton species are generally composed of many strains, with intra-species diversity consisting of genetic and phenotypic variability. Despite its importance in ecological and biotechnological contexts, this intra-species diversity and variation among strains has been little studied. We investigated the intra-species diversity of the microalga Tisochrysis lutea, a haptophyte of the Isochrysidales order. Inter-strain diversity of T. lutea was studied because of the economic importance of the species as a feed in aquaculture and for antioxidant metabolite production, particularly fucoxanthin and other carotenoids, which have health benefits. We analysed Tara Ocean datasets which revealed that T. lutea was present in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans but not in the Arctic or Austral Oceans. We next made phenotypic and genotypic comparisons of 11 strains of T. lutea from worldwide algal collections. All strains were cultivated in the same controlled conditions for one week, and several phenotypic traits were measured, notably antioxidant content. In parallel, the genomes of each strain were sequenced, and genetic variants identified. At the genetic and phenotypic levels, the strains were distinct from each other and our analysis revealed natural trait variations of interest in relation to further exploitation in domestication programmes. A large number of genetic variations were identified among the strains, but no major differences in genome size were observed. Moreover, limited genetic structure was observed among these strains, which could be a consequence of the complex life history of species within the Isochrysidales. Our study provides new knowledge on the intra-species diversity that should be considered in future environmental studies and breeding programmes.

Iron and manganese availability drives primary production and carbon export in the Weddell Sea

Next to iron (Fe), recent phytoplankton-enrichment experiments identified manganese (Mn) to (co-)limit Southern Ocean phytoplankton biomass and species composition. Since taxonomic diversity affects aggregation time and sinking rate, the efficiency of the biological carbon pump is directly affected by community structure. However, the impact of FeMn co-limitation on Antarctic primary production, community composition, and the subsequent export of carbon to depth requires more investigation. In situ samplings of 6 stations in the understudied southern Weddell Sea revealed that surface Fe and Mn concentrations, primary production, and carbon export rates were all low, suggesting a FeMn co-limited phytoplankton community. An Fe and Mn addition experiment examined how changes in the species composition drive the aggregation capability of a natural phytoplankton community. Primary production rates were highest when Fe and Mn were added together, due to an increased abundance of the colonial prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis antarctica. Although the community remained diatom dominated, the increase in Phaeocystis abundance led to highly carbon-enriched aggregates and a 4-fold increase in the carbon export potential compared to the control, whereas it only doubled in the Fe treatment. Based on the outcome of the FeMn-enrichment experiment, this region may suffer from FeMn co-limitation. As the Weddell Sea represents one of the most productive Antarctic marginal ice zones, our findings highlight that in response to greater Fe and Mn supply, changes in plankton community composition and primary production can have a disproportionally larger effect on the carbon export potential.

Effect of dissolved iron (II) and temperature on growth of the Southern Ocean phytoplankton species Fragilariopsis cylindrus and Phaeocystis antarctica

Low bioavailability of the vital element iron (Fe) limits primary production in large regions of the Southern Ocean, thus impacting phytoplankton community structures. Primary productivity seems to be particularly sensitive to the reduced form of iron (Fe(II)), which is thought to be the most readily bioavailable redox form of Fe in the ocean. Here, we investigated the impact of temperature (3 °C, 5 °C and 7 °C) and Fe(II) additions (+ 5 nM) on growth of two Southern Ocean phytoplankton species Fragilariopsis cylindrus and Phaeocystis antarctica in coastal and open ocean water. At all tested temperatures, growth rates of P. antarctica were significantly higher with added iron, compared to the treatments without added iron in both waters. Temperature only had a significant effect on the growth rate of this species when it was raised to 7 °C in all treatments. For F. cylindrus, growth rates only significantly increased with iron addition at 7 °C in both water types. Temperature did not affect the growth rate of F. cylindrus except for a significant reduction without iron addition at 7 °C in coastal water. These results highlight the complex interactions between Fe bioavailability and temperature on Southern Ocean phytoplankton growth. Thus, certain Southern Ocean phytoplankton species may have higher growth rates in regions of the ocean that will warm the most and possibly experience greater Fe supply under future climate conditions, such as coastal regions. This may result in changes in phytoplankton community structures with implications for carbon sequestration efficiency under future climate conditions.

Widespread changes in Southern Ocean phytoplankton blooms linked to climate drivers

AbstractClimate change is expected to elicit widespread alterations to nutrient and light supply, which interact to influence phytoplankton growth and their seasonal cycles. Using 25 years of satellite chlorophyll a data, we show that large regions of the Southern Ocean express significant multi-decadal trends in phenological indices that are typically larger (&lt;50 days decade–1) than previously reported in modelling studies (&lt;10 days decade–1). Although regionally dependent, there is an overall tendency for phytoplankton blooms to increase in amplitude, decline in seasonality, initiate later, terminate earlier and have shorter durations, except in the ice, which initiate earlier and have longer durations. Investigating relationships with prominent climate drivers highlights regional sensitivities and complexities of multiple interacting aspects of a changing climate. Seasonal adjustments of this magnitude at the base of the food web can de-synchronize energy transfer to higher trophic levels, threatening ecosystem services and impacting global climate by altering natural CO2 uptake.

The interacting effect of prolonged darkness and temperature on photophysiological characteristics of three Antarctic phytoplankton species.

Photophysiological characteristics of the Southern Ocean phytoplankton species Phaeocystis antarctica, Geminigera cryophila, and Chaetoceros simplex were assessed during 7 weeks of darkness and subsequent recovery after darkness at 4 and 7°C. Chlorophyll a fluorescence and maximum quantum efficiency of PSII decreased during long darkness in a species-specific manner, whereas chlorophyll a concentration remained mostly unchanged. Phaeocystis antarctica showed the strongest decline in photosynthetic fitness during darkness, which coincided with a reduced capacity to recover after darkness, suggesting a loss of functional photosystem II (PSII) reaction centers. The diatom C. simplex at 4°C showed the strongest capacity to resume photosynthesis and active growth during 7 weeks of darkness. In all species, the maintenance of photosynthetic fitness during darkness was clearly temperature dependent as shown by the stronger decline of photosynthetic fitness at 7°C compared to 4°C. Although we lack direct evidence for this, we suggest that temperature-enhanced respiration rates cause stronger depletion of energy reserves that subsequently interferes with the maintenance of photosynthetic fitness during long darkness. Therefore, the current low temperatures in the coastal Southern Ocean may aid the maintenance of photosynthetic fitness during the austral winter. Further experiments should examine to what extent the species-specific differences in dark survival are relevant for future temperature scenarios for the coastal Southern Ocean.