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1. Ice Nucleation by Marine Aerosols Over the North Atlantic Ocean in Late Spring

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD030913  

   Wilbourn, Elise K. ; Thornton, Daniel C. O. ; Ott, Catherine ; Graff, Jason ; Quinn, Patricia K. ; Bates, Timothy S. ; Betha, Raghu ; Russell, Lynn M. ; Behrenfeld, Michael J. ; Brooks, Sarah D. ( February 2020 , Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres)

   Here we report the ice nucleating temperatures of marine aerosols sampled in the subarctic Atlantic Ocean during a phytoplankton bloom. Ice nucleation measurements were conducted on primary aerosol samples and phytoplankton isolated from seawater samples. Primary marine aerosol samples produced by a specialized aerosol generator (the Sea Sweep) catalyzed droplet freezing at temperatures between −33.4 °C and − 24.5 °C, with a mean freezing temperature of −28.5 °C, which was significantly warmer than the homogeneous freezing temperature of pure water in the atmosphere (−36 °C). Following a storm‐induced deep mixing event, ice nucleation activity was enhanced by two metrics: (1) the fraction of aerosols acting as ice nucleating particles (INPs) and (2) the nucleating temperatures, which were the warmest observed throughout the project. Seawater samples were collected from the ocean's surface and phytoplankton groups, includingSynechococcus, picoeukaryotes, and nanoeukaryotes, were isolated into sodium chloride sheath fluid solution using a cell‐sorting flow cytometer. Marine aerosol containingSynechococcus, picoeukaryotes, and nanoeukaryotes serves as INP at temperatures significantly warmer than the homogeneous freezing temperature of pure water in the atmosphere. Samples containing whole organisms in 30 g L⁻¹NaCl had freezing temperatures between −33.8 and − 31.1 °C. Dilution of samples to representative atmospheric aerosolmore »salt concentrations (as low as 3.75 g L⁻¹NaCl) raised freezing temperatures to as high as −22.1 °C. It follows that marine aerosols containing phytoplankton may have widespread influence on marine ice nucleation events by facilitating ice nucleation.

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2. Selective Uptake of Pelagic Microbial Community Members by Caribbean Reef Corals

   https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03175-20  

   Hoadley, Kenneth D. ; Hamilton, Maria ; Poirier, Camille L. ; Choi, Chang Jae ; Yung, Cheuk-Man ; Worden, Alexandra Z. ( April 2021 , Applied and Environmental Microbiology)

   Johnson, Karyn N. (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT Coral reefs are possible sinks for microbes; however, the removal mechanisms at play are not well understood. Here, we characterize pelagic microbial groups at the CARMABI reef (Curaçao) and examine microbial consumption by three coral species: Madracis mirabilis , Porites astreoides , and Stephanocoenia intersepta . Flow cytometry analyses of water samples collected from a depth of 10 m identified 6 microbial groups: Prochlorococcus , three groups of Synechococcus , photosynthetic eukaryotes, and heterotrophic bacteria. Minimum growth rates (μ) for Prochlorococcus , all Synechococcus groups, and photosynthetic eukaryotes were 0.55, 0.29, and 0.45 μ day −1 , respectively, and suggest relatively high rates of productivity despite low nutrient conditions on the reef. During a series of 5-h incubations with reef corals performed just after sunset or prior to sunrise, reductions in the abundance of photosynthetic picoeukaryotes, Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus cells, were observed. Of the three Synechococcus groups, one decreased significantly during incubations with each coral and the other two only with M. mirabilis. Removal of carbon from the water column is based on coral consumption rates of phytoplankton and averaged between 138 ng h −1 and 387 ng h −1 , depending on the coral species. A lack of coral-dependent reduction inmore »heterotrophic bacteria, differences in Synechococcus reductions, and diurnal variation in reductions of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus , coinciding with peak cell division, point to selective feeding by corals. Our study indicates that bentho-pelagic coupling via selective grazing of microbial groups influences carbon flow and supports heterogeneity of microbial communities overlying coral reefs. IMPORTANCE We identify interactions between coral grazing behavior and the growth rates and cell abundances of pelagic microbial groups found surrounding a Caribbean reef. During incubation experiments with three reef corals, reductions in microbial cell abundance differed according to coral species and suggest specific coral or microbial mechanisms are at play. Peaks in removal rates of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus cyanobacteria appear highest during postsunset incubations and coincide with microbial cell division. Grazing rates and effort vary across coral species and picoplankton groups, possibly influencing overall microbial composition and abundance over coral reefs. For reef corals, use of such a numerically abundant source of nutrition may be advantageous, especially under environmentally stressful conditions when symbioses with dinoflagellate algae break down.« less
3. Inorganic and organic carbon and nitrogen uptake strategies of picoplankton groups in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean

   https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11909  

   Berthelot, Hugo ; Duhamel, Solange ; L'Helguen, Stéphane ; Maguer, Jean‐François ; Cassar, Nicolas ( August 2021 , Limnology and Oceanography)

   Picoplankton populations dominate the planktonic community in the surface oligotrophic ocean. Yet, their strategies in the acquisition and the partitioning of organic and inorganic sources of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) are poorly described. Here, we measured at the single‐cell level the uptake of dissolved inorganic C (C‐fixation), C‐leucine, N‐leucine, nitrate (NO₃⁻), ammonium (NH₄⁺), and N‐urea in pigmented and nonpigmented picoplankton groups at six low‐N stations in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Our study highlights important differences in trophic strategies betweenProchlorococcus,Synechococcus, photosynthetic pico‐eukaryotes, and nonpigmented prokaryotes. Nonpigmented prokaryotes were characterized by high leucine uptake rates, nonsignificant C‐fixation and relatively low NH₄⁺, N‐urea, and NO₃⁻uptake rates. Nonpigmented prokaryotes contributed to 7% ± 3%, 2% ± 2%, and 9% ± 5% of the NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, and N‐urea community uptake, respectively. In contrast, pigmented groups displayed relatively high C‐fixation rates, NH₄⁺and N‐urea uptake rates, but lower leucine uptake rates than nonpigmented prokaryotes.Synechococcusand photosynthetic pico‐eukaryotes NO₃⁻uptake rates were higher thanProchlorococcusones. Pico‐sized pigmented groups accounted for a significant fraction of the community C‐fixation (63% ± 27%), NH₄⁺uptake (47% ± 27%), NO₃⁻uptake (62% ± 49%), and N‐urea uptake (81% ± 35%). Interestingly,Prochlorococcusand photosynthetic pico‐eukaryotes showed a greater reliance on C‐ and N‐leucine thanSynechococcuson average, suggesting a greater reliance on organic C and N sources. Taken together, our single‐cell results deciphermore »the wide diversity of C and N trophic strategies between and within marine picoplankton groups, but a clear partitioning between pigmented and nonpigmented groups still remains.

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4. Experimental N and P additions alter stream macroinvertebrate community composition via taxon‐level responses to shifts in detrital resource stoichiometry

   https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13289  

   Demi, Lee M. ; Benstead, Jonathan P. ; Rosemond, Amy D. ; Maerz, John C. ; El‐Sabaawi, ed., Rana ( February 2019 , Functional Ecology)

   Increases in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability are changing animal communities, partly by altering stoichiometric imbalances between consumers and their food. Testing relationships between resource stoichiometry and consumer assemblage structure requires ecosystem‐level manipulations that have been lacking to date.

   We analysed patterns of macroinvertebrate community composition in five detritus‐based headwater streams subject to experimental whole‐stream N and P additions that spanned a steep gradient in dissolved N:P ratio (2:1, 8:1, 16:1, 32:1, 128:1) over 2 years, following a 1‐year pre‐treatment period.

   We predicted that shifts in leaf litter stoichiometry would drive overall patterns of community composition via greater responses of shredders to enrichment than other taxa, as shredders dominate primary consumer biomass and experience larger consumer–resource elemental imbalances than other functional groups in stream ecosystems. Specifically, we expected litter C:P to be a significant predictor of shredder biomass given the greater relative imbalances between shredder and litter C:P than C:N. Finally, we tested whether shredder responses to enrichment were related to other taxon‐level traits, including body size and stoichiometry, larval life span and growth rate.

   Whole‐community composition shifted similarly across the five streams after enrichment, largely driven by increased shredder and predator biomass. These shifts were limited to the autumn/winter seasons andmore »related to decreased leaf litter C:P, highlighting important links between the quality of seasonal litter subsidies and community phenology.

   Among 10 taxa that drove structural shifts, two declined while other taxa from the same functional/taxonomic groups responded positively, suggesting that specific life‐history traits may determine sensitivity to enrichment.

   Increases in total shredder biomass, and in biomass of several common shredders, were associated with lower litter C:P. Body C:P did not predict shredder response to enrichment. However, weak negative relationships between shredder response and body size, and larval life span, suggest that small‐bodied and short‐lived taxa may be more responsive to shifting resource stoichiometry.

   Moderate anthropogenic increases in N and P availability affect resource stoichiometry and can alter animal communities, influencing additional food web and ecosystem properties. We provide support for ecological stoichiometry as a framework for predicting such outcomes based on changes in the elemental composition of resource pools.

   Aplain language summaryis available for this article.

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5. Insects remove more seeds than mammals in first‐year prairie restorations

   https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13004  

   Linabury, Mary C. ; Turley, Nash E. ; Brudvig, Lars A. ( July 2019 , Restoration Ecology)

   Seed sowing is a common early step in restoration, but seed consumers can impede plant establishment and alter community structure. Moreover, seed consumers vary in feeding behaviors and the relative importance of different seed consumer groups during restoration are not well understood. At 12 first‐year prairie restorations in Michigan, we studied seed predation using seed removal trays to ask: What is the relative magnitude of seed removal by insects and mammals? Do seed removal rates change over the growing season? Do habitat edges influence seed removal? At what rates are 10 prairie plant species' seeds removed by mammals and insects? Seed removal depended on consumer type, time of year, and seed species. Insects accounted for the majority of seed removal, contrary to previous research in similar systems. In May, insects removed 1.8 times more seeds than mammals, while in August, they removed 5.1 times more. There was greater seed removal in August. During May 28% of seeds were removed, compared to 54% of seeds removed during August, an increase driven by insects. Edge proximity did not influence seed removal. Certain seed species were removed more than others. For example,Lespedeza capitata(round‐headed bush clover) was always removed at high rates, whereasCoreopsis lanceolata(lance‐leavedmore »coreopsis) andAndropogon gerardii(big bluestem) were always removed at low rates. Mammals and insects showed different preferences for several species. This research suggests a prominent role of seed predation, particularly by insects, for early prairie restoration dynamics, with influences varying temporally and among species.

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