Although the impact of global change has been investigated extensively on marine macroorganisms, much less is known on how microorganisms will be affected, even though they are expected to be more susceptible to environmental changes due to their short generation times. This Research Topic of Frontiers in Marine Science will focus on several aspects of climate change impact on marine microbial ecology. This includes the influence of physical forcing such as warming, UV radiation, rainfall, land drainage, acidification and hydrographic changes in the adaptation or resilience of microbial foodwebs, namely how different components and processes will change. In particular, processes such as grazing mortality, viral lysis and mixotrophy will be emphasized. Another important aspect which will be addressed is the resilience of microbial communities regarding genetic diversity and the problem of invasive species. The impact on benthic communities will also be focused in view of increasing oxygen depletion and development of dead zones in coastal areas.
The main goal of this Research Topic is to assess impact of climate or global change on marine microbial ecology. Although temperature and its role in shaping microbial adaptations has been investigated extensively, namely impacts of climate changes on microbial diversity and biogeochemical cycles in polar oceans, for instance, it should be remembered that physiological studies need to include the interaction of temperature with other abiotic and biotic factors. Thus, impact of changes in environmental drivers should be addressed in context of comprehensive studies on microbial foodwebs rather than just focusing on one component such as bacteria or phytoplankton.
Specific themes which could be addressed:
• resilience of microbial foodwebs to changes in physical forcing such as warming, UV radiation, rainfall, land drainage, acidification and hydrograph;
• processes such as grazing mortality, viral lysis and mixotrophy will be emphasized in context of changes in main environmental drivers;
• resilience of microbial communities regarding genetic diversity and the problem of invasive species;
• impact on benthic communities in view of increasing oxygen depletion and development of dead zones in coastal areas.
Papers such as review articles will be particularly encouraged or articles summarizing results from several different studies, including long-term monitoring studies, in the same area or type of ecosystem. Environmental genomics studies and community compositional studies are welcomed, but reporting of such data should be accompanied by environmental data to yield insight into microbial functionality. Purely descriptive studies of microbial community structures will not be considered.
Although the impact of global change has been investigated extensively on marine macroorganisms, much less is known on how microorganisms will be affected, even though they are expected to be more susceptible to environmental changes due to their short generation times. This Research Topic of Frontiers in Marine Science will focus on several aspects of climate change impact on marine microbial ecology. This includes the influence of physical forcing such as warming, UV radiation, rainfall, land drainage, acidification and hydrographic changes in the adaptation or resilience of microbial foodwebs, namely how different components and processes will change. In particular, processes such as grazing mortality, viral lysis and mixotrophy will be emphasized. Another important aspect which will be addressed is the resilience of microbial communities regarding genetic diversity and the problem of invasive species. The impact on benthic communities will also be focused in view of increasing oxygen depletion and development of dead zones in coastal areas.
The main goal of this Research Topic is to assess impact of climate or global change on marine microbial ecology. Although temperature and its role in shaping microbial adaptations has been investigated extensively, namely impacts of climate changes on microbial diversity and biogeochemical cycles in polar oceans, for instance, it should be remembered that physiological studies need to include the interaction of temperature with other abiotic and biotic factors. Thus, impact of changes in environmental drivers should be addressed in context of comprehensive studies on microbial foodwebs rather than just focusing on one component such as bacteria or phytoplankton.
Specific themes which could be addressed:
• resilience of microbial foodwebs to changes in physical forcing such as warming, UV radiation, rainfall, land drainage, acidification and hydrograph;
• processes such as grazing mortality, viral lysis and mixotrophy will be emphasized in context of changes in main environmental drivers;
• resilience of microbial communities regarding genetic diversity and the problem of invasive species;
• impact on benthic communities in view of increasing oxygen depletion and development of dead zones in coastal areas.
Papers such as review articles will be particularly encouraged or articles summarizing results from several different studies, including long-term monitoring studies, in the same area or type of ecosystem. Environmental genomics studies and community compositional studies are welcomed, but reporting of such data should be accompanied by environmental data to yield insight into microbial functionality. Purely descriptive studies of microbial community structures will not be considered.