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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Detrital source diversity moderates decomposition and nutrient release in current and future ocean conditions
Estuarine, coastal and shelf science, Vol.319, pp.1-7
23/03/2025
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Abstract
The complex interactions between detrital diversity and ocean climate change are not well understood. Here, we used sixteen outdoor raceways to test the hypothesis that ocean warming, and acidification would increase rates of decomposition and nutrient release from detritus of common macroalgae, but the magnitude of change would vary for single detrital sources compared to mixed sources. Our litter-bag experiment to test this hypothesis had six types of macroalgal detritus: (i) Ecklonia radiata, (ii) Sargassum vestitum, (iii) Caulerpa filiformis, (iv) Ecklonia and Sargassum mix, (v) Ecklonia and Caulerpa mix, and (vi) Sargassum and Caulerpa mix. The experimental design also had an orthogonal set of treatments testing effects of ocean warming and acidification, individually and combined, based on the RCP 8.5 climate model for 2081–2100. The identity of detrital sources significantly influenced decomposition rates, carbon liberation and nutrient release. The treatments with two detrital sources did not have increased rates of decomposition and nutrient release compared to single sources. However, detrital source mixing significantly moderated variation in decomposition and nutrient release rates. While ocean acidification had little effect on the decomposition of macroalgal detritus, ocean warming tended to increase rates of decomposition. Given that excessive decomposition can lead to severe anoxia, the results suggest the risk of this occurring will be greater in the warmer oceans of coming decades. In such circumstances, the moderating force of detrital diversity may become increasingly important in maintaining benthic oxygen concentrations and detritus-based production.
Details
- Title
- Detrital source diversity moderates decomposition and nutrient release in current and future ocean conditions
- Creators
- Brendan P. Kelaher - Southern Cross UniversityJamie F David - Southern Cross UniversitySebastian Litchfield - Southern Cross UniversityJoanne M. Oakes - Southern Cross UniversityBradley D. Eyre - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Estuarine, coastal and shelf science, Vol.319, pp.1-7
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- Financial support was received through the Australian Research Council via DP150104263 to B. P. K. and DP160100248 to B. D. E.
- Identifiers
- 991013269191202368
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Authors.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; National Marine Science Centre; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article