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Decline in plankton diversity and carbon flux with reduced sea ice extent along the Western Antarctic Peninsula

Author

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  • Yajuan Lin

    (Duke University
    Université de Brest—UMR 6539 CNRS/UBO/IRD/Ifremer, Laboratoire des sciences de l’environnement marin—IUEM, Rue Dumont D’Urville
    Duke Kunshan University)

  • Carly Moreno

    (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

  • Adrian Marchetti

    (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

  • Hugh Ducklow

    (Columbia University)

  • Oscar Schofield

    (Rutgers University’s Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RU COOL), Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University)

  • Erwan Delage

    (Université de Nantes, CNRS UMR 6004, LS2N)

  • Michael Meredith

    (British Antarctic Survey)

  • Zuchuan Li

    (Duke University
    Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • Damien Eveillard

    (Université de Nantes, CNRS UMR 6004, LS2N
    Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara Oceans GOSEE)

  • Samuel Chaffron

    (Université de Nantes, CNRS UMR 6004, LS2N
    Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara Oceans GOSEE)

  • Nicolas Cassar

    (Duke University
    Université de Brest—UMR 6539 CNRS/UBO/IRD/Ifremer, Laboratoire des sciences de l’environnement marin—IUEM, Rue Dumont D’Urville)

Abstract

Since the middle of the past century, the Western Antarctic Peninsula has warmed rapidly with a significant loss of sea ice but the impacts on plankton biodiversity and carbon cycling remain an open question. Here, using a 5-year dataset of eukaryotic plankton DNA metabarcoding, we assess changes in biodiversity and net community production in this region. Our results show that sea-ice extent is a dominant factor influencing eukaryotic plankton community composition, biodiversity, and net community production. Species richness and evenness decline with an increase in sea surface temperature (SST). In regions with low SST and shallow mixed layers, the community was dominated by a diverse assemblage of diatoms and dinoflagellates. Conversely, less diverse plankton assemblages were observed in waters with higher SST and/or deep mixed layers when sea ice extent was lower. A genetic programming machine-learning model explained up to 80% of the net community production variability at the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Among the biological explanatory variables, the sea-ice environment associated plankton assemblage is the best predictor of net community production. We conclude that eukaryotic plankton diversity and carbon cycling at the Western Antarctic Peninsula are strongly linked to sea-ice conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Yajuan Lin & Carly Moreno & Adrian Marchetti & Hugh Ducklow & Oscar Schofield & Erwan Delage & Michael Meredith & Zuchuan Li & Damien Eveillard & Samuel Chaffron & Nicolas Cassar, 2021. "Decline in plankton diversity and carbon flux with reduced sea ice extent along the Western Antarctic Peninsula," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-25235-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25235-w
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    Cited by:

    1. Afonso Ferreira & Carlos R. B. Mendes & Raul R. Costa & Vanda Brotas & Virginia M. Tavano & Catarina V. Guerreiro & Eduardo R. Secchi & Ana C. Brito, 2024. "Climate change is associated with higher phytoplankton biomass and longer blooms in the West Antarctic Peninsula," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.

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