Environmental selection and resource allocation determine spatial patterns in picophytoplankton cell size

Clark, JR, Lenton, TM, Williams, HTP and Daines, SJ 2013 Environmental selection and resource allocation determine spatial patterns in picophytoplankton cell size. Limnology and Oceanography, 58 (3). 1008-1022. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2013.58.3.1008

Text Clark et al Limnol and Oceanog 2013.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only Available under License . Download (1MB)

Abstract/Summary

Here we describe a new trait-based model for cellular resource allocation that we use to investigate the relative importance of different drivers for small cell size in phytoplankton. Using the model, we show that increased investment in nonscalable structural components with decreasing cell size leads to a trade-off between cell size, nutrient and light affinity, and growth rate. Within the most extreme nutrient-limited, stratified environments, resource competition theory then predicts a trend toward larger minimum cell size with increasing depth. We demonstrate that this explains observed trends using a marine ecosystem model that represents selection and adaptation of a diverse community defined by traits for cell size and subcellular resource allocation. This framework for linking cellular physiology to environmental selection can be used to investigate the adaptive response of the marine microbial community to environmental conditions and the adaptive value of variations in cellular physiology.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Subjects:	Marine Sciences Oceanography
Divisions:	Plymouth Marine Laboratory > Science Areas > Marine System Modelling
Depositing User:	James Clark
Date made live:	19 Feb 2014 14:35
Last Modified:	13 Dec 2023 12:33
URI:	https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/2531

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