Reframing trait trade-offs in marine microbes

The oceans sequester a vast amount of carbon thus playing a central role in the global carbon cycle. Assessing how carbon cycling will be impacted by climate change requires an improved understanding of microbial dynamics, which are responsible for most carbon transformations in the oceans. Current...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Communications earth & environment 2024-12, Vol.5 (1), p.219-6
Main Authors:	Levine, Naomi M, Doblin, Martina A, Collins, Sinéad
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Carbon Carbon cycle Climate change Marine ecosystems Mathematical models Microbial activity Microorganisms Numerical models Ocean models Oceans Phenotypes Phytoplankton Predictions Robustness (mathematics) Statistical analysis
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	The oceans sequester a vast amount of carbon thus playing a central role in the global carbon cycle. Assessing how carbon cycling will be impacted by climate change requires an improved understanding of microbial dynamics, which are responsible for most carbon transformations in the oceans. Current numerical models used for predicting future states represent simplified microbial phenotypes and thus may not produce robust predictions of microbial communities. We propose reframing approaches for studying microbial trait change to allow for selection on multi-trait phenotypes. Integrating statistical approaches and trait-based models will allow for the incorporation of evolution into carbon cycle predictions.Plasticity and evolutionary changes in phytoplankton phenotypes in the ocean can be better represented by integrating statistical and multi-trait-based numerical models which will help improve predictions of future ecosystem states and ocean carbon cycling.
ISSN:	2662-4435