Macroalgal responses to ocean acidification depend on nutrient and light levels

Abstract

Ocean acidification may benefit algae that are able to capitalize on increased carbon availability for photosynthesis, but it is expected to have adverse effects on calcified algae through dissolution. Shifts in dominance between primary producers will have knock-on effects on marine ecosystems and will likely vary regionally, depending on factors such as irradiance (light vs. shade) and nutrient levels (oligotrophic vs. eutrophic). Thus experiments are needed to evaluate interactive effects of combined stressors in the field. In this study, we investigated the physiological responses of macroalgae near a CO 2 seep in oligotrophic waters off Vulcano (Italy). The algae were incubated in situ at 0.2 m depth using a combination of three mean CO 2 levels (500, 700-800 and 1200 μatm CO 2 ), two light levels (100 and 70% of surface irradiance) and two nutrient levels of N, P, and K (enriched vs. non-enriched treatments) in the non-calcified macroalga Cystoseira compressa (Phaeophyceae, Fucales) and calcified Padina pavonica (Phaeophyceae, Dictyotales). A suite of biochemical assays and in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters showed that elevated CO 2 levels benefitted both of these algae, although their responses varied depending on light and nutrient availability. In C. compressa, elevated CO 2 treatments resulted in higher carbon content and antioxidant activity in shaded conditions both with and without nutrient enrichment-they had more Chla, phenols and fucoxanthin with nutrient enrichment and higher quantum yield (F v /F m ) and photosynthetic efficiency (α ETR ) without nutrient enrichment. In P. pavonica, elevated CO 2 treatments had higher carbon content, F v /F m , α ETR , and Chla regardless of nutrient levels-they had higher concentrations of phenolic compounds in nutrient enriched, fully-lit conditions and more antioxidants in shaded, nutrient enriched conditions. Nitrogen content increased significantly in fertilized treatments, confirming that these algae were nutrient limited in this oligotrophic part of the Mediterranean. Our findings strengthen evidence that brown algae can be expected to proliferate as the oceans acidify where physicochemical conditions, such as nutrient levels and light, permit.

Genomewide transcriptional reprogramming in the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa under experimental ocean acidification

“…Under ocean acidification, an accumulation of phenolic compounds has been shown in phytoplankton (Jin et al., ) and macroalgae (Celis‐Plá, Hall‐ Spencer, Horta, & P, ), and this was also already observed in C. nodosa (J. Silva, M. M. Costa, I. Olivé, I. Barrote, M. Ruocco, C. Lauritano, G. Procaccini and R. Santos, in preparation). On the contrary, Arnold et al.…”

Seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) seedlings in a high-CO2 world: from physiology to herbivory

“…Therefore, seagrasses grown under elevated nutrient availability (usually a limiting resource66) often decrease the production of chemical defenses such as phenols6768. Being carbon-based compounds, most of the studies in terrestrial plants25 and some species of macroalgae69 have found increases in phenolic compounds with elevated CO 2 availability. Yet, because CO 2 is also a resource that can greatly limit primary production in seagrasses285270, we may expect a decrease in phenolics (rather than the increase often observed in terrestrial plants) under high CO 2 scenarios, following RAH.…”

Nutrients, but not genetic diversity, affect Gracilaria chilensis (Rhodophyta) farming productivity and physiological responses

“…Maximal non‐photochemical quenching (NPQ max ) was obtained from the tangential function of NPQ versus irradiance function (αNPQ) according to Eilers and Peeters (), following Celis‐Plá et al. ().…”