55
© The Author(s) 2018
S. Jungblut et al. (eds.), YOUMARES 8 – Oceans Across Boundaries: Learning from each other,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93284-2_5
Phytoplankton Responses to Marine
Climate Change – An Introduction
Laura Käse and Jana K. Geuer
Abstract
Phytoplankton are one of the key players in the ocean and
contribute approximately 50% to global primary production. They serve as the basis for marine food webs, drive
chemical composition of the global atmosphere and
thereby climate. Seasonal environmental changes and
nutrient availability naturally influence phytoplankton
species composition. Since the industrial era, anthropogenic climatic influences have increased noticeably – also
within the ocean. Our changing climate, however, affects
the composition of phytoplankton species composition on
a long-term basis and requires the organisms to adapt to
this changing environment, influencing micronutrient
bioavailability and other biogeochemical parameters. At
the same time, phytoplankton themselves can influence
the climate with their responses to environmental changes.
Due to its key role, phytoplankton has been of interest in
marine sciences for quite some time and there are several
methodical approaches implemented in oceanographic
sciences. There are ongoing attempts to improve predictions and to close gaps in the understanding of this sensitive ecological system and its responses.
Introduction
Phytoplankton are some of the smallest marine organisms.
Still, they are one of the most important players in the marine
environment. They are the basis of many marine food webs
and, at the same time, sequester as much carbon dioxide as
all terrestrial plants together. As such, they are important
players when it comes to ocean climate change.
In this chapter, the nature of phytoplankton will be investigated. Their different taxa will be explored and their ecological roles in food webs, carbon cycles, and nutrient uptake
will be examined. A short introduction on the range of methodology available for phytoplankton studies is presented.
Furthermore, the concept of ocean-related climate change is
introduced. Examples of seasonal plankton variability are
given, followed by an introduction to time series, an important tool to obtain long-term data. Finally, some predictions
of phytoplankton community shifts related to climate change
will be presented.
This review aims to give an introduction of phytoplankton, climate models and the interaction of phytoplankton
with the environment. We want to point out small scale
changes caused by seasonality as well as examples of whole
ecosystem changes.
What Is Phytoplankton?
Plankton play a key role in the ocean as they provide the
foundation of marine food webs. In general, the term plankton (“planktos” = wandering or drifting) indicates that these
organisms dwell in water as they are not able to move against
the currents (Hensen 1887). Nekton, on the contrary, can
move freely and include mostly organisms bigger than
around 2 cm. The broad range of planktonic organisms
divides into several trophic levels and size classes as proposed by Sieburth et al. (1978). They belong to all different
types of taxonomic groups such as viruses, archaea, bacteria,
L. Käse (*)
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and
Marine Research, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland,
Helgoland, Germany
e-mail: laura.kaese@awi.de
J. K. Geuer (*)
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and
Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
e-mail: jana.geuer@awi.de
© The Author(s) 2018
S. Jungblut et al. (eds.), YOUMARES 8 – Oceans Across Boundaries: Learning from each other,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93284-2_5
Phytoplankton Responses to Marine
Climate Change – An Introduction
Laura Käse and Jana K. Geuer
Abstract
Phytoplankton are one of the key players in the ocean and
contribute approximately 50% to global primary production. They serve as the basis for marine food webs, drive
chemical composition of the global atmosphere and
thereby climate. Seasonal environmental changes and
nutrient availability naturally influence phytoplankton
species composition. Since the industrial era, anthropogenic climatic influences have increased noticeably – also
within the ocean. Our changing climate, however, affects
the composition of phytoplankton species composition on
a long-term basis and requires the organisms to adapt to
this changing environment, influencing micronutrient
bioavailability and other biogeochemical parameters. At
the same time, phytoplankton themselves can influence
the climate with their responses to environmental changes.
Due to its key role, phytoplankton has been of interest in
marine sciences for quite some time and there are several
methodical approaches implemented in oceanographic
sciences. There are ongoing attempts to improve predictions and to close gaps in the understanding of this sensitive ecological system and its responses.
Introduction
Phytoplankton are some of the smallest marine organisms.
Still, they are one of the most important players in the marine
environment. They are the basis of many marine food webs
and, at the same time, sequester as much carbon dioxide as
all terrestrial plants together. As such, they are important
players when it comes to ocean climate change.
In this chapter, the nature of phytoplankton will be investigated. Their different taxa will be explored and their ecological roles in food webs, carbon cycles, and nutrient uptake
will be examined. A short introduction on the range of methodology available for phytoplankton studies is presented.
Furthermore, the concept of ocean-related climate change is
introduced. Examples of seasonal plankton variability are
given, followed by an introduction to time series, an important tool to obtain long-term data. Finally, some predictions
of phytoplankton community shifts related to climate change
will be presented.
This review aims to give an introduction of phytoplankton, climate models and the interaction of phytoplankton
with the environment. We want to point out small scale
changes caused by seasonality as well as examples of whole
ecosystem changes.
What Is Phytoplankton?
Plankton play a key role in the ocean as they provide the
foundation of marine food webs. In general, the term plankton (“planktos” = wandering or drifting) indicates that these
organisms dwell in water as they are not able to move against
the currents (Hensen 1887). Nekton, on the contrary, can
move freely and include mostly organisms bigger than
around 2 cm. The broad range of planktonic organisms
divides into several trophic levels and size classes as proposed by Sieburth et al. (1978). They belong to all different
types of taxonomic groups such as viruses, archaea, bacteria,
L. Käse (*)
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and
Marine Research, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland,
Helgoland, Germany
e-mail: laura.kaese@awi.de
J. K. Geuer (*)
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and
Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
e-mail: jana.geuer@awi.de