Environmental impacts on the structural integrity of British rhodoliths
Abstract Coralline algae form complex habitats which are biodiversity hotspots. Experimental studies suggest that climate change will decrease coralline algal structural integrity. These experiments, however, lack information on local morphological variability and how much structural change would be...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40292-5 |
| _version_ | 1797453177196380160 |
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| author | Leanne A. Melbourne Juliet Brodie Emily J. Rayfield Danna Titelboim Oliver T. Lord Daniela N. Schmidt |
| author_facet | Leanne A. Melbourne Juliet Brodie Emily J. Rayfield Danna Titelboim Oliver T. Lord Daniela N. Schmidt |
| author_sort | Leanne A. Melbourne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Coralline algae form complex habitats which are biodiversity hotspots. Experimental studies suggest that climate change will decrease coralline algal structural integrity. These experiments, however, lack information on local morphological variability and how much structural change would be needed to threaten habitat formation. Here, using finite element modelling, we assess variability in cellular structure and chemical composition of the carbonate skeleton of four coralline algal species from Britain in contemporary and historical specimens collected over the last 130 years. Cellular and mineral properties are highly variable within species, between sites and through time, with structurally weaker cells in the southern species and contemporary material compared to northern taxa and historical material. Yet, temporal differences in strength were smaller than spatial differences. Our work supports long term experiments which show the adaptation potential of this group. Our results suggest that future anthropogenic climate change may lead to loss of habitat complexity in the south and expansion of structurally weaker southern species into northern sites. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:19:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f7df65f1d8ec4d0bb601811dd70f0436 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:19:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7df65f1d8ec4d0bb601811dd70f04362023-11-26T12:56:05ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-08-0113111210.1038/s41598-023-40292-5Environmental impacts on the structural integrity of British rhodolithsLeanne A. Melbourne0Juliet Brodie1Emily J. Rayfield2Danna Titelboim3Oliver T. Lord4Daniela N. Schmidt5School of Earth Sciences, University of BristolDepartment of Life Sciences, Natural History MuseumSchool of Earth Sciences, University of BristolSchool of Earth Sciences, University of BristolSchool of Earth Sciences, University of BristolSchool of Earth Sciences, University of BristolAbstract Coralline algae form complex habitats which are biodiversity hotspots. Experimental studies suggest that climate change will decrease coralline algal structural integrity. These experiments, however, lack information on local morphological variability and how much structural change would be needed to threaten habitat formation. Here, using finite element modelling, we assess variability in cellular structure and chemical composition of the carbonate skeleton of four coralline algal species from Britain in contemporary and historical specimens collected over the last 130 years. Cellular and mineral properties are highly variable within species, between sites and through time, with structurally weaker cells in the southern species and contemporary material compared to northern taxa and historical material. Yet, temporal differences in strength were smaller than spatial differences. Our work supports long term experiments which show the adaptation potential of this group. Our results suggest that future anthropogenic climate change may lead to loss of habitat complexity in the south and expansion of structurally weaker southern species into northern sites.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40292-5 |
| spellingShingle | Leanne A. Melbourne Juliet Brodie Emily J. Rayfield Danna Titelboim Oliver T. Lord Daniela N. Schmidt Environmental impacts on the structural integrity of British rhodoliths Scientific Reports |
| title | Environmental impacts on the structural integrity of British rhodoliths |
| title_full | Environmental impacts on the structural integrity of British rhodoliths |
| title_fullStr | Environmental impacts on the structural integrity of British rhodoliths |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental impacts on the structural integrity of British rhodoliths |
| title_short | Environmental impacts on the structural integrity of British rhodoliths |
| title_sort | environmental impacts on the structural integrity of british rhodoliths |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40292-5 |
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