Browsing by Author "Reusch, Thorsten B. H."
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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.
- 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).
- A trait-based framework for seagrass ecology: trends and prospectsPublication . Moreira-Saporiti, Agustín; Teichberg, Mirta; Garnier, Eric; Cornelissen, J. Hans C.; Alcoverro, Teresa; Björk, Mats; Boström, Christoffer; Dattolo, Emanuela; Eklöf, Johan S.; Hasler-Sheetal, Harald; Marbà, Nuria; Marín-Guirao, Lázaro; Meysick, Lukas; Olivé, Irene; Reusch, Thorsten B. H.; Ruocco, Miriam; Silva, João; Sousa, Ana I.; Procaccini, Gabriele; Santos, RuiIn the last three decades, quantitative approaches that rely on organism traits instead of taxonomy have advanced different fields of ecological research through establishing the mechanistic links between environmental drivers, functional traits, and ecosystem functions. A research subfield where trait-based approaches have been frequently used but poorly synthesized is the ecology of seagrasses; marine angiosperms that colonized the ocean 100M YA and today make up productive yet threatened coastal ecosystems globally. Here, we compiled a comprehensive trait-based response-effect framework (TBF) which builds on previous concepts and ideas, including the use of traits for the study of community assembly processes, from dispersal and response to abiotic and biotic factors, to ecosystem function and service provision. We then apply this framework to the global seagrass literature, using a systematic review to identify the strengths, gaps, and opportunities of the field. Seagrass trait research has mostly focused on the effect of environmental drivers on traits, i.e., "environmental filtering" (72%), whereas links between traits and functions are less common (26.9%). Despite the richness of trait-based data available, concepts related to TBFs are rare in the seagrass literature (15% of studies), including the relative importance of neutral and niche assembly processes, or the influence of trait dominance or complementarity in ecosystem function provision. These knowledge gaps indicate ample potential for further research, highlighting the need to understand the links between the unique traits of seagrasses and the ecosystem services they provide.