Article
|
Open Access
Featured
-
-
Article
| Open AccessYear-round utilization of sea ice-associated carbon in Arctic ecosystems
Koch and Brown et al. led a collaborative and comprehensive synthesis that shows the transfer of ice algal carbon is widespread throughout the Arctic marine food web and contributes to supporting organisms throughout the dark winter months
- Chelsea W. Koch
- , Thomas A. Brown
- & David J. Yurkowski
-
Article
| Open AccessBottom marine heatwaves along the continental shelves of North America
The authors investigate marine heatwaves on the ocean bottom in the shallow waters surrounding North America. Relative to their surface counterparts, bottom marine heatwaves are often more intense, more persistent, and can occur independently.
- Dillon J. Amaya
- , Michael G. Jacox
- & Adam S. Phillips
-
Article
| Open AccessWind-driven upwelling of iron sustains dense blooms and food webs in the eastern Weddell Gyre
This study reports a dense, late summer phytoplankton bloom in the Southern Ocean that accumulated unusually high levels of organic matter and supported feeding hot spots for birds and whales. The authors show that this recurring open ocean bloom is driven by anomalies in easterly winds that push sea ice southwards and favour the upwelling of deep waters enriched in hydrothermal iron.
- Sebastien Moreau
- , Tore Hattermann
- & Harald Steen
-
Article
| Open AccessSeasonality of downward carbon export in the Pacific Southern Ocean revealed by multi-year robotic observations
Distinct seasonality of export pathways from the different pumps in the Pacific Southern Ocean are revealed using year-round robotic profiler observations, contributing to understanding of particle export into the oceans’ interior.
- Léo Lacour
- , Joan Llort
- & Philip W. Boyd
-
Article
| Open AccessEnzyme adaptation to habitat thermal legacy shapes the thermal plasticity of marine microbiomes
Temperature shapes the adaptation and composition of microbiomes, but whether their enzymes drive the thermal response remains unknown. Using an analysis of seven enzyme classes from worldwide marine microbiome data, this study shows that enzyme thermal properties explain microbial thermal plasticity and they are both finely tuned by the thermal variability of the environment.
- Ramona Marasco
- , Marco Fusi
- & Daniele Daffonchio
-
Article
| Open AccessTemperature, species identity and morphological traits predict carbonate excretion and mineralogy in tropical reef fishes
Marine fishes can substantially contribute to the inorganic carbon cycle through the excretion of intestinally precipitated carbonates, but the underlying drivers remain largely unknown. This study identifies the environmental factors and fish traits that predict carbonate excretion rate and mineralogical composition in tropical reef fishes.
- Mattia Ghilardi
- , Michael A. Salter
- & Sonia Bejarano
-
Review Article
| Open AccessMonitoring and modelling marine zooplankton in a changing climate
Zooplankton are a critical link to higher trophic levels and play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. This Review examines key responses of zooplankton to ocean warming, highlights key knowledge and geographic gaps that need to be addressed, and discusses how better use of observations and long-term zooplankton monitoring programmes can help fill these gaps.
- Lavenia Ratnarajah
- , Rana Abu-Alhaija
- & Lidia Yebra
-
Article
| Open AccessSalp blooms drive strong increases in passive carbon export in the Southern Ocean
Gelatinous bloom-forming zooplankton—salps—alter microbial communities and quintuple the flux of sinking particles from the surface to the deep, strongly enhancing the ability of the ocean to sequester CO2.
- Moira Décima
- , Michael R. Stukel
- & Matt Pinkerton
-
Article
| Open AccessViral infection switches the balance between bacterial and eukaryotic recyclers of organic matter during coccolithophore blooms
Algal blooms are hotspots of marine primary production that play central roles in microbial ecology and global elemental cycling. Here, the authors show how bloom termination by viral infection can shift the balance between eukaryotic and prokaryotic recyclers of phytoplankton biomass.
- Flora Vincent
- , Matti Gralka
- & Assaf Vardi
-
Article
| Open AccessExocytosis of the silicified cell wall of diatoms involves extensive membrane disintegration
Exocytosis is a fundamental cellular process. Here, the authors report an unusual exocytosis mechanism in the silicified cell wall of diatoms, in which membrane patches are discarded.
- Diede de Haan
- , Lior Aram
- & Assaf Gal
-
Article
| Open AccessHalf a century of rising extinction risk of coral reef sharks and rays
Sharks and rays are vital coral reef species. This study shows that nearly two thirds (59%) of the 134 coral-reef associated species are threatened with extinction. The main cause of their decline is found to be overfishing, both targeted and unintentional, and extinction risk is greater for larger species found in nations with higher fishing pressure and weaker governance.
- C. Samantha Sherman
- , Colin A. Simpfendorfer
- & Nicholas K. Dulvy
-
Article
| Open AccessMethane emissions offset atmospheric carbon dioxide uptake in coastal macroalgae, mixed vegetation and sediment ecosystems
Coastal ecosystems are promoted as nature-based solutions to climate change. Here, the authors show that natural methane emissions across a variety of vegetated and unvegetated coastal habitats can, however, offset one-third of the carbon sink capacity attributed to atmospheric carbon dioxide uptake.
- Florian Roth
- , Elias Broman
- & Alf Norkko
-
Article
| Open AccessEffects of phytoplankton, viral communities, and warming on free-living and particle-associated marine prokaryotic community structure
Over several years, this study examines how biotic interactions and warming affect the entire marine prokaryotic community at a location off the coast of Southern California. Analyses show that free-living and particle-associated prokaryotes were strongly predicted by phytoplankton and viral communities, and El Niño warming shifted cyanobacteria from cold-water ecotypes to warm-water ecotypes.
- Yi-Chun Yeh
- & Jed A. Fuhrman
-
Matters Arising
| Open AccessReply to: Re-examining extreme carbon isotope fractionation in the coccolithophore Ochrosphaera neapolitana
- Yi-Wei Liu
- , Robert A. Eagle
- & Justin B. Ries
-
Matters Arising
| Open AccessRe-examining extreme carbon isotope fractionation in the coccolithophore Ochrosphaera neapolitana
- Hongrui Zhang
- , Ismael Torres-Romero
- & Heather M. Stoll
-
Article
| Open AccessHost biology, ecology and the environment influence microbial biomass and diversity in 101 marine fish species
In this study, the microbiota of multiple body sites from 101 marine fish species from Southern California were sampled and analysed. The authors compared diversity measures while also establishing a method to estimate microbial biomass. Body site is shown to be the strongest driver of microbial diversity and patterns of phylosymbiosis are observed across the gill, skin and hindgut.
- Jeremiah J. Minich
- , Andreas Härer
- & Eric E. Allen
-
Article
| Open AccessCell-specific measurements show nitrogen fixation by particle-attached putative non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre
Nitrogen-fixing (diazotrophic) cyanobacteria provide a critical nutrient input to the ocean. Non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs are also thought to contribute, but they have not been observed to fix nitrogen. Using dual isotope labeling combined with nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry, this study demonstrates that putative non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs attached to particles can fix nitrogen.
- Katie J. Harding
- , Kendra A. Turk-Kubo
- & Jonathan P. Zehr
-
Article
| Open AccessField measurements reveal exposure risk to microplastic ingestion by filter-feeding megafauna
Combining microplastic data from the California Current Ecosystem with high-resolution foraging measurements from 191 tag deployments on blue, fin and humpback whales, this study quantifies plastic ingestion rates and routes of exposure risk in filter-feeding megafauna.
- S. R. Kahane-Rapport
- , M. F. Czapanskiy
- & M. S. Savoca
-
Article
| Open AccessContrasting life-history responses to climate variability in eastern and western North Pacific sardine populations
Using high-resolution stable isotope and microstructure analyses of otoliths, this study reveals that sardine populations in the western and eastern North Pacific have different early life metabolic and growth rates that respond contrastingly to temperature variations. These findings could explain observations of different responses in these populations to decadal-scale temperature anomalies.
- Tatsuya Sakamoto
- , Motomitsu Takahashi
- & Tomihiko Higuchi
-
Article
| Open AccessAncient marine sediment DNA reveals diatom transition in Antarctica
Sedimentary ancient DNA can indicate ecosystem-wide changes. Here, the authors show association between warm phases and high diatom abundance in the Antarctic Scotia Sea, in addition to presenting ancient eukaryote sedimentary DNA spanning the last approximately 1 million years.
- Linda Armbrecht
- , Michael E. Weber
- & Xufeng Zheng
-
Article
| Open AccessA Cryptochrome adopts distinct moon- and sunlight states and functions as sun- versus moonlight interpreter in monthly oscillator entrainment
Reproduction in numerous marine organisms is timed to specific moon phases, but the mechanisms for sensing moon phases are incompletely understood. Here the authors report that an ancient, light-sensitive protein L-Cryptochrome in a marine bristle worm can discriminate between sun- and moonlight, enabling the animals to properly decode moon phases.
- Birgit Poehn
- , Shruthi Krishnan
- & Kristin Tessmar-Raible
-
Article
| Open AccessPhylogenetically and catabolically diverse diazotrophs reside in deep-sea cold seep sediments
Microbial nitrogen fixation could be important in the deep sea. Here the authors investigate metagenomes and metatranscriptomes of diazotrophs from deep sea cold seep sediments, reveal greater phylogenetic and functional diversity than hitherto known.
- Xiyang Dong
- , Chuwen Zhang
- & Chris Greening
-
Article
| Open AccessTrypsin is a coordinate regulator of N and P nutrients in marine phytoplankton
Using CRISPR-Cas9 mediated-knockout and overexpression analyses, this study shows that a trypsin in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum promotes phosphorus uptake and inhibits nitrogen uptake but its expression is downregulated under nitrogen stress and upregulated under phosphorus stress. Together, the findings suggest this trypsin is a coordinate regulator of nutrient homeostasis.
- Yanchun You
- , Xueqiong Sun
- & Senjie Lin
-
Article
| Open AccessSkilful decadal-scale prediction of fish habitat and distribution shifts
Advances in climate prediction mean that the state of the ocean and the drivers of shifts can be skilfully forecast up to a decade ahead. This study applies decadal-scale climate predictions to forecast shifts in the habitat and distribution of marine fish species, providing information relevant to stakeholders and a tool to foresee and adapt to the challenges of a changing climate.
- Mark R. Payne
- , Gokhan Danabasoglu
- & Stephen G. Yeager
-
Article
| Open AccessCulling corallivores improves short-term coral recovery under bleaching scenarios
This study uses multispecies modelling to show that the management of a coral predator, the crown-of-thorns starfish, could help corals recover following bleaching events. They show that management was most effective when heat stress severity for corals was low to moderate, when corals had lower heat sensitivity and when the recruitment rate of starfish was high.
- Jacob G. D. Rogers
- & Éva E. Plagányi
-
Article
| Open AccessAdaptive responses of marine diatoms to zinc scarcity and ecological implications
Here the authors identify two zinc/cobalt responsive proteins (ZCRPs) in marine diatoms, determining their functional roles in trace metal transport and homeostasis, as well as their application as an indicator of oceanic Zn stress.
- Riss M. Kellogg
- , Mark A. Moosburner
- & Mak A. Saito
-
Article
| Open AccessPredictive models for the selection of thermally tolerant corals based on offspring survival
Finding coral reefs resilient to climate warming is challenging. This study combines Great Barrier Reef remote sensing with breeding experiments that estimate coral survival under exposure to high temperatures to develop forecasting models that locate reefs with increased heat tolerance. These reefs represent targets for protection and potential sources of corals for reef restoration.
- K. M. Quigley
- & M. J. H. van Oppen
-
Article
| Open AccessMicrobiomes in the Challenger Deep slope and bottom-axis sediments
The V-shaped Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world’s oceans. Using 586 prokaryotic metagenome-assembled genomes and metatranscriptomic data, this study explores metabolic capabilities and activities of microorganisms involved in elemental cycling in hadal sediments, and reveals the different distribution of processes between its bottom-axis and slope.
- Ying-Li Zhou
- , Paraskevi Mara
- & Yong Wang
-
Article
| Open AccessWildfires enhance phytoplankton production in tropical oceans
Wildfires are expected to increase in frequency and severity. Here the authors use geochemical paleo-reconstructions to show that over decadal timescales in Earth history wildfires are positively correlated with phytoplankton production off the coast of Australia.
- Dongyan Liu
- , Chongran Zhou
- & Yan Du
-
Article
| Open AccessMucospheres produced by a mixotrophic protist impact ocean carbon cycling
Marine microbes govern ocean productivity and biogeochemistry, regulating global climate. Here the authors describe the sophisticated feeding strategy of a mixotrophic dinoflagellate and show how its behaviour impacts the vertical flux of carbon.
- Michaela E. Larsson
- , Anna R. Bramucci
- & Martina A. Doblin
-
Article
| Open AccessFossil coleoid cephalopod from the Mississippian Bear Gulch Lagerstätte sheds light on early vampyropod evolution
The authors describe a new cephalopod from the Carboniferous (Mississippian) Bear Gulch Lagerstätte of Montana, USA. This specimen extends the fossil record of vampyropods back by ~82 million years and changes our understanding of their evolution.
- Christopher D. Whalen
- & Neil H. Landman
-
Article
| Open AccessOverlooked and widespread pennate diatom-diazotroph symbioses in the sea
Nitrogen depletion in the ocean provides a favourable niche for nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, which can form symbioses with eukaryotic algae. This study reports the discovery of two distinct marine pennate diatom–diazotroph symbioses, which had previously only been observed in freshwater environments and represent an overlooked but widespread source of bioavailable nitrogen in marine habitats.
- Christopher R. Schvarcz
- , Samuel T. Wilson
- & Grieg F. Steward
-
Article
| Open AccessSignificance of gene variants for the functional biogeography of the near-surface Atlantic Ocean microbiome
The taxonomic and functional diversity of marine microbial communities are shaped by both environmental and biotic factors. Here, the authors investigate the functional biogeography of epipelagic prokaryotic communities along a 13,000-km transect in the Southern and Atlantic Oceans, showing finely tuned genetic adaptations to regional conditions.
- Leon Dlugosch
- , Anja Poehlein
- & Meinhard Simon
-
Article
| Open AccessResolving the structure of phage–bacteria interactions in the context of natural diversity
Understanding the interactions between bacteria and their viruses (phages) in natural communities is a major challenge. Here, the authors isolate and study large numbers of marine Vibrio bacteria and their phages, and find that lytic interactions are sparse and many phages are host-strain-specific, but nevertheless recombination between some phages is common.
- Kathryn M. Kauffman
- , William K. Chang
- & Libusha Kelly
-
Article
| Open AccessPhylogenetically and functionally diverse microorganisms reside under the Ross Ice Shelf
The Ross Ice Shelf is the most extensive ice shelf of Antarctica and isolates the underlying ocean from sunlight. Here the authors use multi-omics to unravel the phylogenetic and functional diversity of microbial life in this ecosystem.
- Clara Martínez-Pérez
- , Chris Greening
- & Federico Baltar
-
Article
| Open AccessSea-ice derived meltwater stratification slows the biological carbon pump: results from continuous observations
The North Atlantic biological pump has the most intense absorption of C globally, but how this will fare in light of climate changes (especially sea-ice melting) is poorly understood. Here the authors present a 24-month continuous time series of physical, chemical, and biological observations in the Fram Strait.
- Wilken-Jon von Appen
- , Anya M. Waite
- & Antje Boetius
-
Article
| Open AccessKrill and salp faecal pellets contribute equally to the carbon flux at the Antarctic Peninsula
Zooplankton impact Southern Ocean carbon cycling. Here, the authors examine carbon export at the Antarctic Peninsula, finding that krill pellets are efficiently exported, while salp pellets are retained and recycled in surface waters.
- Nora-Charlotte Pauli
- , Clara M. Flintrop
- & Morten H. Iversen
-
Article
| Open AccessLearning efficient navigation in vortical flow fields
Navigation and trajectory planning in environments with background flow, relevant for robotics, are challenging provided information only on local surrounding. The authors propose a reinforcement learning approach for time-efficient navigation of a swimmer through unsteady two-dimensional flows.
- Peter Gunnarson
- , Ioannis Mandralis
- & John O. Dabiri
-
Comment
| Open AccessEmergence of a neopelagic community through the establishment of coastal species on the high seas
Discoveries of persistent coastal species in the open ocean shift our understanding of biogeographic barriers. Floating plastic debris from pollution now supports a novel sea surface community composed of coastal and oceanic species at sea that might portend significant ecological shifts in the marine environment.
- Linsey E. Haram
- , James T. Carlton
- & Gregory M. Ruiz
-
Article
| Open AccessSeasonal mixed layer depth shapes phytoplankton physiology, viral production, and accumulation in the North Atlantic
Phytoplankton are important primary producers. Here the authors investigate phytoplankton physiological changes associated with bloom phases and mixing regimes in the North Atlantic, finding that stratification and deep mixing shape accumulation rates by altering physiology and viral production.
- Ben P. Diaz
- , Ben Knowles
- & Kay D. Bidle
-
Article
| Open AccessImpact of intensifying nitrogen limitation on ocean net primary production is fingerprinted by nitrogen isotopes
Projected declines in marine primary production are underpinned by a slowdown in nitrogen supplied to surface waters. Here the authors detail a new means to detect this slowdown and describe major shifts in the 21st century oceanic nitrogen cycle.
- Pearse J. Buchanan
- , Olivier Aumont
- & Alessandro Tagliabue
-
Article
| Open AccessGlobally consistent assessment of coastal eutrophication
Satellite-derived chlorophyll data and Google Earth Engine (GEE) are used to introduce the first global map of coastal eutrophication potential as a GEE app. The prospects of the app being used as a global framework for eutrophication screening/monitoring are discussed.
- Elígio de Raús Maúre
- , Genki Terauchi
- & Michael DeWitt
-
Article
| Open AccessElucidating gene expression adaptation of phylogenetically divergent coral holobionts under heat stress
As corals struggle to survive under climate change, it is crucial to know whether they can withstand increasing seawater temperatures. Using a controlled thermal stress experiment across three divergent coral holobionts, this study examines metatranscriptomic responses to heat stress corresponding to the coral host, photosymbionts and associated microbiota.
- Viridiana Avila-Magaña
- , Bishoy Kamel
- & Mónica Medina
-
Article
| Open AccessDiel cycle of sea spray aerosol concentration
Sea spray aerosol (SSA) are an important way through which oceans can influence the atmosphere’s radiative properties. Here, the authors present measurements taken over a 42,000 km ship cruise in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean and show that SSA number concentrations vary over a 24-hour cycle, possibly linked to surface water bubble-bursting dynamics.
- J. Michel Flores
- , Guillaume Bourdin
- & Ilan Koren
-
Article
| Open AccessFuture phytoplankton diversity in a changing climate
Phytoplankton form the base of the marine ecosystem but current ocean models used for climate change projections are too simple to assess potential changes in plankton community structure. This study analyses a complex ecosystem model with 35 phytoplankton types to evaluate the changes in phytoplankton community composition, turnover and size structure over the 21st century.
- Stephanie A. Henson
- , B. B. Cael
- & Stephanie Dutkiewicz
-
Article
| Open AccessMajor restructuring of marine plankton assemblages under global warming
Warming will affect marine plankton biomass, but also its diversity and community composition in poorly understood ways. Here, the authors model the spatial distribution of 860 marine plankton species from 10 functional groups and identify the future hotspots of climate change impacts under RCP8.5.
- Fabio Benedetti
- , Meike Vogt
- & Nicolas Gruber
-
Article
| Open AccessDecline in plankton diversity and carbon flux with reduced sea ice extent along the Western Antarctic Peninsula
Over the past century, the Western Antarctic Peninsula has experienced rapid warming and a substantial loss of sea ice with important implications for plankton biodiversity and carbon cycling. Using a 5-year DNA metabarcoding dataset, this study assesses how interannual variability in sea-ice conditions impacts biodiversity and biological carbon fluxes in this region.
- Yajuan Lin
- , Carly Moreno
- & Nicolas Cassar
-
Article
| Open AccessLagrangian betweenness as a measure of bottlenecks in dynamical systems with oceanographic examples
The motion of the ocean transports microorganisms, pollutants, and other particles, but these are challenging to track. Here the authors present a Lagrangian form of Betweenness Centrality which identifies bottlenecks in dynamical systems and fluid flows as well as an interpretation of diversity hotspots.
- Enrico Ser-Giacomi
- , Alberto Baudena
- & Emilio Hernández-García
-
Article
| Open AccessStructural evidence for extracellular silica formation by diatoms
Silica formation in diatoms is of interest for a range of different subjects from biomimetics to oceanography. Here the authors study the formation of silicified extensions in diatoms and find that unlike cell wall elements, that form in the cytoplasm, the extensions have a different formation mechanism outside the cytoplasm.
- Boaz Mayzel
- , Lior Aram
- & Assaf Gal