Elemental stoichiometry of the key calcifying marine phytoplankton Emiliania huxleyi under ocean climate change: A meta-analysis

Abstract

The elemental composition of marine microorganisms (their C:N:P ratio, or stoichiometry) is central to understanding the biotic and biogeochemical processes underlying key marine ecosystem functions. Phytoplankton C:N:P is species specific and flexible to changing environmental conditions. However, bulk or fixed phytoplankton stoichiometry is usually assumed in biogeochemical and ecological models because more realistic, environmentally responsive C:N:P ratios have yet to be defined for key functional groups. Here, a comprehensive meta-analysis of experimental laboratory data reveals the variable C:N:P stoichiometry of Emiliania huxleyi, a globally significant calcifying phytoplankton species. Mean C:N:P of E. huxleyi is 124C:16N:1P under control conditions (i.e. growth not limited by one or more environmental stressors) and shows a range of responses to changes in nutrient and light availability, temperature and pCO₂ . Macronutrient limitation caused strong shifts in stoichiometry, increasing N:P and C:P under P deficiency (by 305% and 493% respectively) and doubling C:N under N deficiency. Responses to light, temperature and pCO₂ were mixed but typically shifted cellular elemental content and C:N:P stoichiometry by ca. 30% or less. Besides these independent effects, the interactive effects of multiple environmental changes on E. huxleyi stoichiometry under future ocean conditions could be additive, synergistic or antagonistic. To synthesise our meta-analysis results, we explored how the cellular elemental content and C:N:P stoichiometry of E. huxleyi may respond to two hypothetical future ocean scenarios (increased temperature, irradiance and pCO₂ combined with either N deficiency or P deficiency) if an additive effect is assumed. Both future scenarios indicate decreased calcification (which is predominantly sensitive to elevated pCO₂ ), increased C:N, and up to fourfold shifts in C:P and N:P. Our results strongly suggest that climate change will significantly alter the role of E. huxleyi (and potentially other calcifying phytoplankton species) in marine biogeochemical processes.

Keywords: C:N:P; PIC:POC; Redfield; calcification; climate change; coccolithophore; elemental composition; phytoplankton.