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An integrated multiple driver mesocosm experiment reveals the effect of global change on planktonic food web structure.

ABSTRACT: Global change puts coastal marine systems under pressure, affecting community structure and functioning. Here, we conducted a mesocosm experiment with an integrated multiple driver design to assess the impact of future global change scenarios on plankton, a key component of marine food webs. The experimental treatments were based on the RCP 6.0 and 8.5 scenarios developed by the IPCC, which were Extended (ERCP) to integrate the future predicted changing nutrient inputs into coastal waters. We show that simultaneous influence of warming, acidification, and increased N:P ratios alter plankton dynamics, favours smaller phytoplankton species, benefits microzooplankton, and impairs mesozooplankton. We observed that future environmental conditions may lead to the rise of Emiliania huxleyi and demise of Noctiluca scintillans, key species for coastal planktonic food webs. In this study, we identified a tipping point between ERCP 6.0 and ERCP 8.5 scenarios, beyond which alterations of food web structure and dynamics are substantial.

SUBMITTER: Moreno HD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8888609 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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An integrated multiple driver mesocosm experiment reveals the effect of global change on planktonic food web structure.

Moreno Hugo Duarte HD Köring Martin M Di Pane Julien J Tremblay Nelly N Wiltshire Karen H KH Boersma Maarten M Meunier Cédric L CL

Communications biology 20220301 1

Global change puts coastal marine systems under pressure, affecting community structure and functioning. Here, we conducted a mesocosm experiment with an integrated multiple driver design to assess the impact of future global change scenarios on plankton, a key component of marine food webs. The experimental treatments were based on the RCP 6.0 and 8.5 scenarios developed by the IPCC, which were Extended (ERCP) to integrate the future predicted changing nutrient inputs into coastal waters. We sh ...[more]

PMID: 35233039

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Dataset Information

An integrated multiple driver mesocosm experiment reveals the effect of global change on planktonic food web structure.

Publications

An integrated multiple driver mesocosm experiment reveals the effect of global change on planktonic food web structure.

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