Towards Integrating Evolution, Metabolism, and Climate Change Studies of Marine Ecosystems. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baltar, Federico; Bayer, Barbara; Bednarsek, Nina; Deppeler, Stacy; Escribano, Ruben; Gonzalez, Carolina E.; Hansman, Roberta L.; Mishra, Rajani Kanta; Moran, Mary Ann; Repeta, Daniel J.; Robinson, Carol; Sintes, Eva; Tamburini, Christian; Valentin, Luis E.; Herndl, Gerhard J.
• Is Part Of: Trends in ecology & evolution. Volume 34:Number 11(2019)
• Page Start: 1022
• Page End: 1033
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: marine ecosystems -- niche -- evolution -- metabolism -- climate change; Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution (Biology) -- Periodicals; 576.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.07.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0169-5347

Abstract

Abstract : Global environmental changes are challenging the structure and functioning of ecosystems. However, a mechanistic understanding of how global environmental changes will affect ecosystems is still lacking. The complex and interacting biological and physical processes spanning vast temporal and spatial scales that constitute an ecosystem make this a formidable problem. A unifying framework based on ecological theory, that considers fundamental and realized niches, combined with metabolic, evolutionary, and climate change studies, is needed to provide the mechanistic understanding required to evaluate and forecast the future of marine communities, ecosystems, and their services. Highlights: Marine ecosystems are changing and the services they provide are threatened by global environmental changes. Environmental changes can provoke evolution of species, affecting both the realized and fundamental niches of species. Environmental change can drive evolution, but evolution can also affect environmental conditions. There is a need for a unifying framework that combines studies of evolution, metabolism, and climate change. That framework should be based on ecological theory, on the study of the realized and fundamental niche dynamics, their spatial and temporal dynamics, and their potential response to environmental changes.