Mechanistic constraints on the trade-off between photosynthesis and respiration in response to warming.

ABSTRACT: Phytoplankton are responsible for half of all oxygen production and drive the ocean carbon cycle. Metabolic theory predicts that increasing global temperatures will cause phytoplankton to become more heterotrophic and smaller. Here, we uncover the metabolic trade-offs between cellular space, energy, and stress management driving phytoplankton thermal acclimation and how these might be overcome through evolutionary adaptation. We show that the observed relationships between traits such as chlorophyll, lipid content, C:N, and size can be predicted on the basis of the metabolic demands of the cell, the thermal dependency of transporters, and changes in membrane lipids. We suggest that many of the observed relationships are not fixed physiological constraints but rather can be altered through

SUBMITTER: Leles SG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10796116 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature