Variable responses to ocean acidification among mixotrophic protists with different lifestyles

Abstract

Marine phytoplankton are facing increasing dissolved CO₂ concentrations and ocean acidification caused by anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. Mixotrophic organisms are capable of both photosynthesis and phagotrophy of prey and are found across almost all phytoplankton taxa and diverse environments. Yet, we know very little about how mixotrophs respond to ocean acidification. Therefore, we studied responses to simulated ocean acidification in three strains of the mixotrophic chrysophyte Ochromonas (CCMP1391, CCMP2951, and CCMP1393). After acclimatization of the strains to treatment with high-CO₂ (1000 ppm, pH 7.9) and low-CO₂ concentrations (350 ppm, pH 8.3), strains CCMP1393 and CCMP2951 both exhibited higher growth rates in response to the high-CO₂ treatment. In terms of the balance between phototrophic and heterotrophic metabolism, diverse responses were observed. In response to the high-CO₂ treatment, strain CCMP1393 showed increased photosynthetic carbon fixation rates, while CCMP1391 exhibited higher grazing rates, and CCMP2951 did not show significant alteration of either rate. Hence, all three Ochromonas strains responded to ocean acidification, but in different ways. The variability in their responses highlights the need for better understanding of the functional diversity among mixotrophs in order to enhance predictive understanding of their contributions to global carbon cycling in the future.

Keywords: Ochromonas; bacterivory; chrysophytes; global change; mixoplankton; mixotrophy; ocean acidification; phytoplankton; primary production; protists.

Figure 1

Specific growth rates of the three Ochromonas strains in the low-CO₂ and high-CO₂ treatments. Asterisks indicate significant differences between treatments (Welch’s t-test: ^*P < .05, ^**P < .01, ^***P < .001).

Figure 2

Photosynthetic and phagotrophic rates of the three Ochromonas strains in the low-CO₂ and high-CO₂ treatments. (A) Carbon fixation rates at an irradiance of 100 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹. (B) Slope of the photosynthetic carbon fixation rates versus irradiance, measured between 50 and 100 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹. (C) Grazing rates of Ochromonas. Asterisks indicate significant differences between treatments (Welch’s t-test: ^*P < .05, ^**P < .01, ^***P < .001).

Figure 3

The balance between phototrophic and heterotrophic carbon acquisition for the three Ochromonas strains in the low-CO₂ and high-CO₂ treatments. The amount of photosynthetic carbon fixed per hour is plotted against the amount of carbon obtained through grazing per hour. Error bars represent standard error of the mean. The dashed grey line is the y = x line, at which phototrophic and heterotrophic carbon acquisition are equal. Orange arrows are drawn from the low- to the high-CO₂ treatment of the same strain.

Figure 4

Relative pigment contents of the three Ochromonas strains in the low-CO₂ and high-CO₂ treatments. (A) Red chlorophyll fluorescence per cell, measured by flow cytometry. (B) Fucoxanthin content, (C) β-carotene content, and (D) sum of violaxanthin and zeaxanthin content (violaxanthin cycle pigments), measured by HPLC and expressed relative to chlorophyll a. Asterisks indicate significant differences between treatments (Welch’s t-test: ^*P < .05, ^**P < .01, ^***P < .001).