Light affects iron (Fe) growth requirements in marine phytoplankton while CO2 can influence energy allocation and light sensitivity. Therefore, ongoing increases in seawater CO2 concentrations could impact the growth of Fe‐ and light‐limited phytoplankton. In this study, Phaeodactylum tricornutum was used as a model diatom to examine the interactive effects of Fe, light, and CO2 on photosynthesis, growth, and protein expression in marine phytoplankton. Low concentration of biologically available inorganic iron (Fe′) and low‐light intensity decreased specific rates of carbon (C)‐fixation and growth, and the two together had an even greater effect, indicating a co‐limitation. Increased partial pressure of CO2 from its current value (400 μatm) to 750 μatm had no effect at growth sufficient levels of Fe and light, but increased C‐fixation and growth rate under Fe or light limitation, and had an even greater effect in Fe and light co‐limited cells. The results suggest that ongoing increases in CO2 may increase C‐fixation rates in Fe‐ and light‐limited and co‐limited regions, which cover at least 30% of the ocean. Measurements of photosynthetic proteins in photosystems II and I, and transcripts of proteins involved in CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCMs), photorespiration, and antioxidant protection, suggest that the benefit of increased CO2 in the Fe‐ and light‐limited cells was from a downregulation of CCMs and resultant decreased demands for energy supplied from photosynthesis, and from decreased rates of photorespiration, which consumes photosynthetically produced ATP and NADPH. A decrease in oxidative stress with increased CO2 also contributed.

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, ovoid or short-rod shaped, orange-pigmented bacterial strain, designated as strain JLT1T, was isolated from seawater of the shallow-sea hydrothermal system, near Kueishantao Islet. Growth was observed at 5–45°C (optimum, 30 °C) and pH 5.0–11.0 (optimum, pH 7.0). The salinity range for growth was 0–12 % (optimum, 2–4 %) (w/v) NaCl. JLT1T contained ubiquinone-10 as the main respiratory quinone. Iso-C12 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c/ω6c) and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω6c/ω7c) were identified as the major cellular fatty acids. Polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified phospholipids, eight unidentified glycolipids and an unidentified lipid. The 16S rRNA gene of JLT1T shared the greatest similarity (96.31 %) with those of Croceicoccus pelagius Ery9T and Croceicoccus ponticola GM-16T. The draft genome size of JLT1T is 3.56 Mb, with 3578 potential genes and a genomic DNA G+C content of 63.24 mol %. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values of JLT1T compared with C. pelagius Ery9T, C. ponticola GM-16T, Croceicoccus sediminis S2-4-2T, Croceicoccus mobilis Ery22T and Croceicoccus marinus E4A9T were 74.5, 73.9, 74.4, 74.3 and 74.8 % and 20.6, 19.2, 20.0, 20.5 and 19.8%, respectively. On the basis of these phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic features, JLT1T is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Croceicoccus , for which the name Croceicoccus hydrothermalis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JLT1T (=CGMCC 1.15786T =JCM 31508T).

The productivity of diatoms in the Southern Ocean plays a key role in the transfer of carbon (C) from the atmosphere to the ocean's interior, which impacts climate. However, diatom growth in the Southern Ocean is limited by several environmental factors including iron (Fe) and light. Ongoing increases in ocean CO2 concentrations may increase diatom carbon fixation, but it is uncertain how this will interact with extant Fe and light limitation. Here we grew the Southern Ocean diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus under a matrix of growth sufficient and limiting Fe and light levels and current and elevated CO2 concentrations, and found that a decrease in Fe concentration at high light, or in light intensity at high Fe, caused a similar 28–35% decrease in growth rate. Combined low Fe and low light caused a much larger (71–75%) decrease in growth rate than occurred with low Fe or low light alone, indicating Fe and light co‐limitation. At a given concentration of bioavailable dissolved inorganic Fe (Fe′), increasing pCO2 from 400 to 750 μatm had no significant effect on growth or C‐fixation rates under any Fe and light conditions. These results suggest that unlike previous measurements in Fe‐ and light‐limited temperate diatoms, increased CO2 should have little effect on C‐fixation rates in Southern Ocean diatoms. The different physiological responses of cold‐water and temperate diatoms to the changing environment warrant further investigation for understanding and predicting changes in the efficiency of the biological carbon pump and the associated potential feedback to the climate change.