Temperature-enhanced effects of iron on Southern Ocean phytoplankton
Eich, C.; van Manen, M.H.; McCain, J.S.P.; Jabre, L.J.; van de Poll, W.H.; Jung, J.; Pont, S.B.E.H.; Tian, H.-A.; Ardiningsih, I.; Reichart, G.-J.; Bertrand, E.M.; Brussaard, C.; Middag, R. (2024). Temperature-enhanced effects of iron on Southern Ocean phytoplankton. Biogeosciences 21(20): 4637-4663. https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4637-2024
In: Gattuso, J.P.; Kesselmeier, J. (Ed.) Biogeosciences. Copernicus Publications: Göttingen. ISSN 1726-4170; e-ISSN 1726-4189, more
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| Authors | | Top |
- Eich, C.
- van Manen, M.H., more
- McCain, J.S.P.
- Jabre, L.J.
- van de Poll, W.H.
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- Jung, J.
- Pont, S.B.E.H.
- Tian, H.-A.
- Ardiningsih, I., more
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- Reichart, G.-J., more
- Bertrand, E.M.
- Brussaard, C., more
- Middag, R., more
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| 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. |
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