Temperature-induced changes in the relevance of viral lysis and microzooplankton grazing of Antarctic phytoplankton indicates future alterations in seasonal carbon flow.

ABSTRACT: Phytoplankton play a pivotal role as the primary producers in polar marine ecosystems. Despite evidence suggesting that production rates and loss factors vary from year to year, and thus drive dynamic ecosystem functioning, interannual comparisons remain sparse. In this study, we examined viral lysis and microzooplankton grazing rates on Antarctic phytoplankton during two productive seasons and compared them with published data from a previous year. Higher rates of phytoplankton gross growth and total mortality during the warmer productive season suggest global warming induced increases in the magnitude of ecosystem carbon flow. Viral lysis rates appear to be relatively independent of average seasonal temperatures, whereas grazing rates were lower during the colder productive seasons (aver

SUBMITTER: Biggs TEG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11879551 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature