A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Temperature optima of a natural diatom population increases as global warming proceeds




AuthorsHattich Giannina S. I, Jokinen Sami, Sildever Sirje, Gareis Maimilian, Heikkinen Janni, Junghardt N, Segovia Mara d’Arán, Machado Miguel Senghor, Sjöqvist Conny

PublisherSpringer Nature

Publication year2024

JournalNature Climate Change

Journal name in sourceNATURE CLIMATE CHANGE

Volume14

Issue5

First page 518

Last page525

ISSN1758-678X

eISSN1758-6798

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01981-9

Web address https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-024-01981-9

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/393349698


Abstract

Studies in laboratory-based experimental evolution have demonstrated that phytoplankton species can rapidly adapt to higher temperatures. However, adaptation processes and their pace remain largely unknown under natural conditions. Here, by comparing resurrected Skeletonema marinoi strains from the Baltic Sea during the past 60 years, we show that modern S. marinoi have increased their temperature optima by 1 degrees C. With the increasing ability to grow in higher temperatures, growth rates in cold water decreased. Modern S. marinoi modified their valve:girdle ratio under warmer temperatures, which probably increases nutrient uptake ability. This was supported by the upregulation of several genes related to nitrate metabolism in modern strains grown under high temperatures. Our approach using resurrected strains demonstrates the adaptation potential of naturally occurring marine diatoms to increasing temperatures as global warming proceeds and exemplifies a realistic pace of evolution, which is an order of magnitude slower than estimated by experimental evolution.


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Last updated on 2025-18-03 at 12:34