Marine macrophytes are the foundation of algal forests and seagrass meadows-some of the most productive and diverse coastal marine ecosystems on the planet. These ecosystems provide nursery grounds and food for fish and invertebrates, coastline protection from erosion, carbon sequestration, and nutrient fixation. For marine macrophytes, temperature is generally the most important range limiting factor, and ocean warming is considered the most severe threat among global climate change factors. Ocean warming induced losses of dominant macrophytes along their equatorial range edges, as well as range extensions into polar regions, are predicted and already documented. While adaptive evolution based on genetic change is considered too slow to keep pace with the increasing rate of anthropogenic environmental changes, rapid adaptation may come about through a set of non-genetic mechanisms involving the functional composition of the associated microbiome, as well as epigenetic modification of the genome and its regulatory effect on gene expression and the activity of transposable elements. While research in terrestrial plants demonstrates that the integration of non-genetic mechanisms provide a more holistic picture of a species' evolutionary potential, research in marine systems is lagging behind. Here, we aim to review the potential of marine macrophytes to acclimatize and adapt to major climate change effects via intraspecific variation at the genetic, epigenetic, and microbiome levels. All three levels create phenotypic variation that may either enhance fitness within individuals (plasticity) or be subject to selection and ultimately, adaptation. We

. Stock and losses of trace metals from salt marsh plants. Marine Environmental Research, Elsevier, 2009, 67 (2) This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

In 2014, a DNA‐based phylogenetic study confirming the paraphyly of the grass subtribe Sporobolinae proposed the creation of a large monophyletic genus Sporobolus, including (among others) species previously included in the genera Spartina, Calamovilfa, and Sporobolus. Spartina species have contributed substantially (and continue contributing) to our knowledge in multiple disciplines, including ecology, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, biogeography, experimental ecology, biological invasions, environmental management, restoration ecology, history, economics, and sociology. There is no rationale so compelling to subsume the name Spartina as a subgenus that could rival the striking, global iconic history and use of the name Spartina for over 200 yr. We do not agree with the subjective arguments underlying the proposal to change Spartina to Sporobolus. We understand the importance of both the objective phylogenetic insights and of the subjective formalized nomenclature and hope that by opening this debate we will encourage positive feedback that will strengthen taxonomic decisions with an interdisciplinary perspective. We consider that the strongly distinct, monophyletic clade Spartina should simply and efficiently be treated as the genus Spartina.

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As a major sink, estuarine/salt marsh ecosystem can receive discharges laden with myriads of contaminants including metals/metalloids from man-made activities. Two among the major consequences of metal/metalloid-exposure in estuarine/salt marsh ecosystem flora such as halophytic plants are: (a) the excessive accumulation of light energy that in turn leads to severe impairments in the photosystem II (PS II), and (b) metal/metalloids-accrued elevation in the cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) that causes imbalance in the cellular redox homeostasis. On one hand, plants adopt several strategies to dissipate excessive energy hence eventually to avoid damage in the PS II and maintain optimum photosynthesis. On the other hand, components of the cellular redox system quickly respond to metal/metalloid-exposure, where plants try to maintain a fine-tuning among these components, and tightly control the level of ROS and its potential consequences. Herein, major insights into, and the significance and implications of important biophysical and biochemical markers in metal/metalloid-exposed halophytes are overviewed and also highlighted main aspects so far least explored in the present context. Discussion advocates to regularly monitor and integrate studies on the highlighted herein biophysical and biochemical markers taking into account the missing aspects such as essential and non-essential metal/metalloid-speciation, -availability, and -methylation, role of the obvious microbial activities, and a comparative account of the outcomes of the studies on mixture of metal/metalloid performed in laboratory and field conditions. Thus, consideration of these missing aspects in future studies on the subject can help us to: (a) unveil the status of the metal/metalloid-contamination and -impact; (b) understand adaptive responses of salt marsh halophyte to metals/metalloids, and also (c) to devise sustainable strategies for the environmental or ecosystem management and safety.

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