Browsing by Author "Jueterbock, Alexander"
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- Climate change impacts on seagrass meadows and macroalgal forests: an integrative perspective on acclimation and adaptation potentialPublication . Duarte, Bernardo; Martins, Irene; Rosa, Rui; Matos, Ana R.; Roleda, Michael Y.; Reusch, Thorsten B. H.; Engelen, Aschwin; Serrao, Ester; Pearson, Gareth; Marques, João C.; Caçador, Isabel; Duarte, Carlos M.; Jueterbock, AlexanderMarine macrophytes are the foundation of algal forests and seagrass meadows-some of the most productive and diverse coastal marine ecosystems on the planet. These ecosystems provide nursery grounds and food for fish and invertebrates, coastline protection from erosion, carbon sequestration, and nutrient fixation. For marine macrophytes, temperature is generally the most important range limiting factor, and ocean warming is considered the most severe threat among global climate change factors. Ocean warming induced losses of dominant macrophytes along their equatorial range edges, as well as range extensions into polar regions, are predicted and already documented. While adaptive evolution based on genetic change is considered too slow to keep pace with the increasing rate of anthropogenic environmental changes, rapid adaptation may come about through a set of non-genetic mechanisms involving the functional composition of the associated microbiome, as well as epigenetic modification of the genome and its regulatory effect on gene expression and the activity of transposable elements. While research in terrestrial plants demonstrates that the integration of non-genetic mechanisms provide a more holistic picture of a species' evolutionary potential, research in marine systems is lagging behind. Here, we aim to review the potential of marine macrophytes to acclimatize and adapt to major climate change effects via intraspecific variation at the genetic, epigenetic, and microbiome levels. All three levels create phenotypic variation that may either enhance fitness within individuals (plasticity) or be subject to selection and ultimately, adaptation. We review three of the most important phenotypic variations in a climate change context, including physiological variation, variation in propagation success, and in herbivore resistance. Integrating different levels of plasticity, and adaptability into ecological models will allow to obtain a more holistic understanding of trait variation and a realistic assessment of the future performance and distribution of marine macrophytes. Such multi-disciplinary approach that integrates various levels of intraspecific variation, and their effect on phenotypic and physiological variation, is of crucial importance for the effective management and conservation of seagrasses and macroalgae under climate change.
- A concise review of the brown seaweed Sargassum thunbergii — a knowledge base to inform large-scale cultivation effortsPublication . Liu, Fu-Li; Li, Jing-Jing; Liang, Zhou-Rui; Zhang, Quan-Sheng; Zhao, Feng-Juan; Jueterbock, Alexander; Critchley, Alan T.; Morrell, Stephen L.; Assis, Jorge; Tang, Yong-Zheng; Hu, Zi-MinSargassum thunbergii is a brown macroalga endemic to the northwest Pacific. It plays important ecological roles in the structure and maintenance of coastal marine ecosystems. The bioactive compounds extracted from S. thunbergii have been extensively documented for potential use in anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant and aquacultural drugs. The species is edible and contains relatively high levels of proteins, minerals and several types of amino acids. The present work compiles recently published literature on S. thunbergii, with particular focus on cultivation efforts in China, including the breeding of seedlings and cultivation at sea. A concise review of possible applications is given. Distribution, range shifts associated with past climate change, population genetic structure and connectivity, life history, reproduction and development are all detailed. The review provides important guidelines for future large-scale farming of S. thunbergii. This will help aquaculturalists (phyconomists) to meet the expected increases in demand by industrial users. It will also help to conserve natural populations which may be declining due to destructive harvesting and rapid ocean changes.
- Detecting no natural hybridization and predicting range overlap inSaccharina angustataandSaccharina japonicaPublication . Zhang, Jie; Yotsukura, Norishige; Jueterbock, Alexander; Hu, Zi-Min; Assis, Jorge; Nagasato, Chikako; Yao, Jianting; Duan, DelinNatural hybridization can play a significant role in evolutionary processes and influence the adaptive diversification and speciation of brown seaweeds. However, this phenomenon is as yet unknown inSaccharinakelps.Saccharina angustataand two varieties ofSaccharina japonica(S. japonicavar.japonicaandS. japonicavar.diabolica) partly overlap in distribution along the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, which makes them a good model system to study hybridization and introgression among species of the genusSaccharina. Based on 13 highly variable nuclear microsatellites and a mitochondrial marker, we assessed the genetic diversity levels ofS. angustatafor the first time and populations from Muroran to Shiranuka (western part of the Pacific coast in Hokkaido) exhibited highest genetic diversity. Genetic diversity ofS. japonicawas higher inS. japonicavar.japonicaas compared withS. japonicavar.diabolica. There was significant genetic differentiation (F-ST > 0.25,p < 0.05) betweenS. japonicaandS. angustatabased on both markers. Moreover, there was poor genetic connectivity and limited interspecific hybridization among these closely relatedSaccharinaspecies. Ecological niche models projected a northward expansion of bothS. japonicaandS. angustataunder future climate scenarios and a range overlap between two species along the coast of Okhotsk Sea in Kamchatka Peninsula. The interspecific hybridization and genetic diversity among these kelps provide insights for kelp selection and cultivation as well as future conservation strategies of wild stocks.
- Intraspecific genetic variation matters when predicting seagrass distribution under climate changePublication . Hu, Zi‐Min; Zhang, Quan‐Sheng; Zhang, Jie; Kass, Jamie M.; Mammola, Stefano; Fresia, Pablo; Draisma, Stefano G. A.; Assis, Jorge; Jueterbock, Alexander; Yokota, Masashi; Zhang, ZhixinSeagrasses play a vital role in structuring coastal marine ecosystems, but their distributional range and genetic diversity have declined rapidly in recent decades. To improve conservation of seagrass species, it is important to predict how climate change may impact their ranges. Such predictions are typically made with correlative species distribution models (SDMs), which can estimate a species' potential distribution under present and future climatic scenarios given species' presence data and climatic predictor variables. However, these models are typically constructed with species-level data, and thus ignore intraspecific genetic variability, which can give rise to populations with adaptations to heterogeneous climatic conditions. Here, we explore the link between intraspecific adaptation and niche differentiation in Thalassia hemprichii, a seagrass broadly distributed in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean and a crucial provider of habitat for numerous marine species. By retrieving and re-analysing microsatellite data from previous studies, we delimited two distinct phylogeographical lineages within the nominal species and found an intermediate level of differentiation in their multidimensional environmental niches, suggesting the possibility for local adaptation. We then compared projections of the species' habitat suitability under climate change scenarios using species-level and lineage-level SDMs. In the Central Tropical Indo-Pacific region, models for both levels predicted considerable range contraction in the future, but the lineage-level models predicted more severe habitat loss. Importantly, the two modelling approaches predicted opposite patterns of habitat change in the Western Tropical Indo-Pacific region. Our results highlight the necessity of conserving distinct populations and genetic pools to avoid regional extinction due to climate change and have important implications for guiding future management of seagrasses.
- Modeling aquaculture suitability in a climate change futurePublication . Mackintosh, Amy; Hill, Griffin; Costello, Mark; Jueterbock, Alexander; Assis, JorgeAquaculture has become the primary supplier of fish for human consumption, with production increasing every year since 1990 (FAO, 2020). At the same time, up to 89% of the world’s capture fisheries are fully exploited, overexploited, or collapsed. While some fisheries may have increased yields due to climate change in the short term, global fisheries catch is projected to fall by 10% by 2050 (Barange et al., 2014; Ramos Martins et al., 2021). However, the security of aquaculture production will depend on how future climate change affects productive regions as species’ optimal climatic conditions shift poleward (Chaudhary et al., 2021). This makes the forecasting of climate impacts on key aquaculture species a top priority in order to facilitate adaptation of this industry.
- Roadmap to sustainably develop the European seaweed industryPublication . Jueterbock, Alexander; Hoarau-Heemstra, Hindertje; Wigger, Karin; Duarte, Bernardo; Bruckner, Christian; Chapman, Annelise; Duan, Delin; Engelen, Aschwin; Gauci, Clément; Hill, Griffin; Hu, Zi-Min; Khanal, Prabhat; Khatei, Ananya; Mackintosh, Amy; Meland, Heidi; Melo, Ricardo; Nilsen, Anne M. L.; Olsen, Leonore; Rautenberger, Ralf; Reiss, Henning; Zhang, JieHow to build a sustainable seaweed industry is important in Europe's quest to produce 8 million tons of seaweed by 2030. Based on interviews with industry representatives and an expert-workshop, we developed an interdisciplinary roadmap that addresses sustainable development holistically. We argue that sustainable practices must leverage synergies with existing industries (e.g. IMTA systems, offshore wind farms), as the industry develops beyond experimental cultivation towards economic viability.
- The genome of the seagrass Zostera marina reveals angiosperm adaptation to the seaPublication . Olsen, Jeanine L.; Rouze, Pierre; Verhelst, Brain; Lin, Yao-Cheng; Bayer, Till; Collen, Jonas; Dattolo, Emanuela; De Paoli, Emanuele; Dittami, Simon; Maumus, Florian; Michel, Gurvan; Kersting, Anna; Lauritano, Chiara; Lohaus, Rolf; Topel, Mats; Tonon, Thierry; Vanneste, Kevin; Amirebrahimi, Mojgan; Brakel, Janina; Bostrom, Christoffer; Chovatia, Mansi; Grimwood, Jane; Jenkins, Jerry W.; Jueterbock, Alexander; Mraz, Amy; Stam, Wytze T.; Tice, Hope; Bornberg-Bauer, Erich; Green, Pamela J.; Pearson, Gareth; Procaccini, Gabriele; Duarte, Carlos M.; Schmutz, Jeremy; Reusch, Thorsten B. H.; Van de Peer, YvesSeagrasses colonized the sea(1) on at least three independent occasions to form the basis of one of the most productive and widespread coastal ecosystems on the planet(2). Here we report the genome of Zostera marina (L.), the first, to our knowledge, marine angiosperm to be fully sequenced. This reveals unique insights into the genomic losses and gains involved in achieving the structural and physiological adaptations required for its marine lifestyle, arguably the most severe habitat shift ever accomplished by flowering plants. Key angiosperm innovations that were lost include the entire repertoire of stomatal genes(3), genes involved in the synthesis of terpenoids and ethylene signalling, and genes for ultraviolet protection and phytochromes for far-red sensing. Seagrasses have also regained functions enabling them to adjust to full salinity. Their cell walls contain all of the polysaccharides typical of land plants, but also contain polyanionic, low-methylated pectins and sulfated galactans, a feature shared with the cell walls of all macroalgae(4) and that is important for ion homoeostasis, nutrient uptake and O-2/CO2 exchange through leaf epidermal cells. The Z. marina genome resource will markedly advance a wide range of functional ecological studies from adaptation of marine ecosystems under climate warming(5,6), to unravelling the mechanisms of osmoregulation under high salinities that may further inform our understanding of the evolution of salt tolerance in crop plants(7).
- The invasive alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla in the native northwest Pacific under ocean warming: Southern genetic consequence and northern range expansionPublication . Liu, Yi-Jia; Zhong, Kai-Le; Jueterbock, Alexander; Satoshi, Shimada; Choi, Han-Gil; Weinberger, Florian; Assis, Jorge; Hu, Zi-MinOcean warming is one of the most important factors in shaping the spatial distribution and genetic biodiversity of marine organisms worldwide. The northwest Pacific has been broadly illustrated as an essential seaweed diversity hotspot. However, few studies have yet investigated in this region on whether and how past and ongoing climate warming impacted the distribution and genetic pools of coastal seaweeds. Here, we chose the invasive species Gracilaria vermiculophylla as a model, and identified multiple genetic lineages in the native range through genome-scale microsatellite genotyping. Subsequently, by reconstructing decadal trends of sea surface temperature (SST) change between 1978 and 2018, we found that SST in northern Japan and the East China Sea indeed increased broadly by 0.25-0.4 degrees C/decade. The projections of species distribution models (SDMs) under different future climate change scenarios (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, RCP 6.0 and RCP 8.5) indicated that a unique genetic pool of G. vermiculophylla at its current southern range limit (i.e. the South China Sea) is at high risk of disappearance, and that the populations at its current northern range limit (i.e. in Hokkaido region) will undergo poleward expansions, particularly by the year 2100. Such responses, along with this species' limited dispersal potential, may considerably alter the contemporary distribution and genetic composition of G. vermiculophylla in the northwest Pacific, and ultimately threaten ecological services provided by this habitat-forming species and other associated functional roles.
- Turning the tide: a 2°C increase in heat tolerance can halve climate change‐induced losses in four cold‐adapted kelp speciesPublication . Hill, Griffin; Gauci, Clément; Assis, Jorge; Jueterbock, AlexanderKelp forests are susceptible to climate change, as their sessile nature and low dispersal capacity hinder tracking of suitable conditions. The emergence of a wide array of approaches to increasing thermal tolerance seeks to change the outlook of biodiversity in a changing climate but lacks clear targets of impactful thermal resilience. Here, we utilize species distribution models (SDMs) to evaluate the potential of enhanced thermal tolerance to buffer the effects of climate change on cold-adapted kelp species: Saccharina latissima, Alaria esculenta, Laminaria hyperborea, and Laminaria digitata. For each species, we compared a baseline model-where the thermal niche remained unchanged-to models where the simulated maximum sea surface temperature tolerance was increased by 1 degrees C-5 degrees C. These models were projected into three climate change scenarios: sustainability (Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 1-1.9, Paris Agreement), regional rivalry (SSP3-7.0), and fossil-fuel development (SSP 5-8.5). Our SDMs demonstrate that an increase of 1 degrees C-2 degrees C in thermal tolerance could recover over 50% of predicted losses of suitable habitat for cold-adapted kelps. However, A. esculenta, a species of growing commercial interest, still faced persistent habitat contraction across all climate change scenarios and simulated tolerance increases, including up to 15% unrecovered losses under SSP5-8.5, even with a simulated 5 degrees C increase in thermal tolerance. Our findings highlight the need for a two-pronged approach to conserve cold-adapted kelp forests: stringent reductions in greenhouse gas emission reductions in line with the SSP1-1.9 scenario, and strategies to boost kelp's thermal tolerance by at least 1 degrees C-2 degrees C. This dual approach is crucial to maintain 90% of the current suitable habitat of S. latissima and L. digitata, and 70% for A. esculenta and L. hyperborea. Relying on mitigation or adaptation alone will likely be insufficient to maintain their historic range under projected climate change.