• Energy Research

Cycling of organic carbon in the ocean has the potential to mitigate or exacerbate global climate change, but major questions remain about the environmental controls on organic carbon flux in the coastal zone. Here, we used a field experiment distributed across 28° of latitude, and the entire range of 2 dominant kelp species in the northern hemisphere, to measure decomposition rates of kelp detritus on the seafloor in relation to local environmental factors. Detritus decomposition in both species were strongly related to ocean temperature and initial carbon content, with higher rates of biomass loss at lower latitudes with warmer temperatures. Our experiment showed slow overall decomposition and turnover of kelp detritus and modeling of coastal residence times at our study sites revealed that a significant portion of this production can remain intact long enough to reach deep marine sinks. The results suggest that decomposition of these kelp species could accelerate with ocean warming and that low-latitude kelp forests could experience the greatest increase in remineralization with a 9% to 42% reduced potential for transport to long-term ocean sinks under short-term (RCP4.5) and long-term (RCP8.5) warming scenarios. However, slow decomposition at high latitudes, where kelp abundance is predicted to expand, indicates potential for increasing kelp-carbon sinks in cooler (northern) regions. Our findings reveal an important latitudinal gradient in coastal ecosystem function that provides an improved capacity to predict the implications of ocean warming on carbon cycling. Broad-scale patterns in organic carbon decomposition revealed here can be used to identify hotspots of carbon sequestration potential and resolve relationships between carbon cycling processes and ocean climate at a global scale.

This paper deals with the evolution monitoring of biomass colonization and mechanical properties of 3D printed eco-materials/mortars immersed in the sea. Measurements of tensile strength, compressive strength, and Young’s modulus were determined on samples deployed along the Atlantic coast of Europe, in France, United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal. The samples were manufactured using 3D printing, where six mix designs with a low environmental impact binder were used. These mortars were based on geopolymer and cementitious binders (Cement CEM III), in which sand is replaced by three types of recycled sand, including glass, seashell, and limestone by 30%, 50%, and 100% respectively. The colonization of concrete samples by micro/macro-organisms and their durability were also evaluated after 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of immersion. The results showed that both biomass colonization and mechanical properties were better with CEM III compared to geopolymer-based compositions. Therefore, the mixed design optimized according to mechanical properties show that the use of CEM III should be preferred over these geopolymer binders in 3D printed concrete for artificial reef applications.

Abstract The loss of marine foundation species, in particular kelps at temperate latitudes, has been linked to climatic drivers and co‐occurring human perturbations. Ocean temperature and nutrients typically covary over local and regional scales and play a crucial role on kelp dynamics. Examining their independent and interactive effects on kelp physiological performance is essential to understand and predict patterns of kelp distribution, particularly under scenarios of global change. Crossed combinations of ocean temperatures and availability of nutrients were experimentally tested on juveniles of the ‘golden kelp’, Laminaria ochroleuca, from the northwestern Iberian Peninsula. Eco‐physiological responses included: survival, growth and total N content. Results were embedded into a Species Distribution Model (SDM), which relates presence records and climatic and non‐climatic data to forecast distribution patterns of L. ochroleuca under different climate change scenarios. Temperatures above 24.6°C were lethal irrespective of nutrients. Optimal growth of juvenile sporophytes occurred between 12 and 18°C and no nutrient limitation. The SDM, where ocean temperature was the main predictor of kelp distribution in line with temperature thresholds given by eco‐physiological responses, suggests a future expansion towards northern latitudes and a retreat from the southern limit/boundary of the current distribution. Synthesis. Range‐shifting of the golden kelp can have severe ecological impacts at regional and local scales. The expansion or retraction of the species along the European coast seems to be modulated mainly by temperature, but nutrient availability would be a key to maintain optimal physiological performance. Our work highlights that the combination of empirical and modelling approaches is accessible to researchers and crucial to building more robust predictions of ecological and biogeographic responses of habitat‐forming species to forecasted environmental change.

Kelps (large brown seaweeds) are conspicuous elements of the Portuguese coast, although kelp abundance is declining, especially at central and southern Portugal. While many studies point out increased seawater temperature as the main factor explaining kelp decline, little attention has been given to top-down (predatory) influences. Through in situ experiments, we tested how herbivory affects the distribution and abundance of kelp recruits. We compared the abundance and survivorship of recruits, the intensity of grazing on recruits and the abundance of herbivores between Viana do Castelo (northern Portugal) and Peniche (central Portugal). In addition, through an outdoor mesocosm experiment, we disentangled the independent and interactive effects of both seawater temperature and nutrients on kelp recruits performance (mortality, growth, C, N and carbohydrate contents, and photosynthetic potential and efficiency). Our main results showed that herbivores and herbivory intensity is higher at central compared to northern Portugal and that the growth of juvenile sporophytes was larger under a high-nutrient scenarios, particularly when temperatures were low (12, 15 and 16ºC). Despite the presence and fitness of kelps across southern European waters has been exclusively linked to bottom-up influences, our results highlights the importance of top-down effects for kelp survivorship and performance.

AbstractAnthropogenic climate change, particularly seawater warming, is expected to drive quick shifts in marine species distribution transforming coastal communities. These shifts in distribution will be particularly noticeable in biogeographical transition zones. The continental Portuguese coast stretches from north to south along 900 km. Despite this short spatial scale, the strong physical gradient intensified by the Iberian upwelling creates a transition zone where seaweed species from boreal and Lusitanian-Mediterranean origin coexist. On the northern coast, kelp marine forests thrive in the cold, nutrient-rich oceanic waters. In the south, communities resemble Mediterranean-type seaweed assemblages and are dominated by turfs. Recent evidence suggests that in these coastal areas, marine intertidal species are shifting their distribution edges as a result of rising seawater temperatures. Taking advantage of previous abundance data collected in 2012 from subtidal seaweed communities, a new sampling program was carried out in the same regions in 2018 to assess recent changes. The results confirmed the latitudinal gradient in macroalgal assemblages. More importantly we found significant structural and functional changes in a short period of six years, with regional increases of abundance of warm-affinity species, small seaweeds like turfs. Species richness, diversity, and biomass increase, all accompanied by an increase of community temperature index (CTI). Our findings suggest that subtidal seaweed communities in this transitional area have undergone major changes within a few years. Evidence of “fast tropicalization” of the subtidal communities of the Portuguese coast are strong indication of the effects of anthropic climate change over coastal assemblages.