Effect of CO2, nutrients and light on coastal plankton. I. Abiotic conditions and biological responses
Authors
Neale, P.J.; Sobrino, C.; Segovia, M.; Mercado-Carmona, J.M. (Jesús Mariano); León, P. (Pablo); Cortés-Delgado, M.D. (María Dolores); Tuite, P. (Patrick); Picazo, A.; Salles, S. (Soluna); Cabrerizo, P. J.; Prasil, O.; Montecino, V.; Reul, A.; Fuentes-Lema, A.Date
2014-11Type
research articleAbstract
We report on results of a microcosm experiment to study the interactive effects of elevated
CO2, high organic and inorganic nutrient loading, and high irradiance on phytoplankton
and bacterioplankton from the Mediterranean coastal ecosystem of the Alboran Sea. This experiment
was part of the Group for Aquatic Productivity 9th international workshop and was conducted
by Working Group 1 (WG1: Phytoplankton of coastal waters, www.gap9.uma.es). Over a
7 d period, we measured the variation in physical and chemical variables and the characteristics
of phytoplankton and bacterioplankton in microcosms incubated under 8 treatments, representing
full factorial combinations of 2 levels each of CO2 supply, nutrient concentrations and solar radiation
exposure. For each treatment combination, we incubated triplicate microcosms consisting of
20 l polyethylene bags which were transparent to ultraviolet radiation. Sustained growth of phytoplankton
biomass (chl a) occurred in all treatments. The ...