Climate change may increase instability in marine phytoplankton communities
In short: Researchers using a complex ecosystem model found that phytoplankton communities may become increasingly unstable throughout the 21st century. By simulating 35 different phytoplankton types, the study observed that the rate of community turnover is expected to accelerate as a response to anthropogenic climate change.
This study addresses a gap in climate projections, as many current models only account for a few phytoplankton types, failing to capture complex community shifts. The researchers used a model with 35 distinct types to track changes in composition and size structure.
The findings suggest that faster community turnover could lead to a loss of ecological resilience, potentially impacting the overall productivity and functioning of marine environments.
Why it matters: Increasingly unstable phytoplankton communities could reduce the resilience and productivity of marine ecosystems.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Henson et al. (2021). Future phytoplankton diversity in a changing climate. Nature Communications. · cc-by
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