Beyond blooms: the winter ecosystem reset determines microeukaryotic community dynamics in the Fram Strait

Abstract The Arctic Ocean is undergoing a major transition as a result of global warming, with uncertain consequences for its ecosystems. Our study introduces an integrated analytical approach using co-occurrence networks, convergent cross-mapping, and energy landscape analysis. Applied to four year...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ellen Oldenburg, Raphael M. Kronberg, Katja Metfies, Matthias Wietz, Wilken-Jon von Appen, Christina Bienhold, Ovidiu Popa, Oliver Ebenhöh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-10-01
Series:Communications Earth & Environment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01782-0
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850179143529922560
author Ellen Oldenburg
Raphael M. Kronberg
Katja Metfies
Matthias Wietz
Wilken-Jon von Appen
Christina Bienhold
Ovidiu Popa
Oliver Ebenhöh
author_facet Ellen Oldenburg
Raphael M. Kronberg
Katja Metfies
Matthias Wietz
Wilken-Jon von Appen
Christina Bienhold
Ovidiu Popa
Oliver Ebenhöh
author_sort Ellen Oldenburg
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The Arctic Ocean is undergoing a major transition as a result of global warming, with uncertain consequences for its ecosystems. Our study introduces an integrated analytical approach using co-occurrence networks, convergent cross-mapping, and energy landscape analysis. Applied to four years of amplicon data from Fram Strait, located at the boundary between Arctic and Atlantic waters, our method identifies keystone species in seasonal microbial communities, elucidates causal interactions, and predicts stable configurations across changing environments. We find strong evidence for a “winter reset”, implying that organisms representing the spring bloom are largely determined by prevailing environmental conditions during winter. In addition, our analysis suggests that winter communities may adapt more readily to expected Atlantification than summer communities. These results highlight the utility of innovative time-series analyses in disentangling ecosystem dynamics. This approach provides critical insights into Arctic ecological interactions, dynamics, and resilience and aids in understanding ecosystem responses to environmental change.
format Article
id doaj-art-264b6bb67a9c4b6eac823aa99c29ac77
institution OA Journals
issn 2662-4435
language English
publishDate 2024-10-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Communications Earth & Environment
spelling doaj-art-264b6bb67a9c4b6eac823aa99c29ac772025-08-20T02:18:35ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-10-015111610.1038/s43247-024-01782-0Beyond blooms: the winter ecosystem reset determines microeukaryotic community dynamics in the Fram StraitEllen Oldenburg0Raphael M. Kronberg1Katja Metfies2Matthias Wietz3Wilken-Jon von Appen4Christina Bienhold5Ovidiu Popa6Oliver Ebenhöh7Institute of Quantitative and Theoretical Biology, Heinrich Heine University DüsseldorfDeep-Sea Ecology and Technology, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine ResearchPolar Biological Oceanography, Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine ResearchDeep-Sea Ecology and Technology, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine ResearchPhysical Oceanography of the Polar Seas, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine ResearchDeep-Sea Ecology and Technology, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine ResearchInstitute of Quantitative and Theoretical Biology, Heinrich Heine University DüsseldorfInstitute of Quantitative and Theoretical Biology, Heinrich Heine University DüsseldorfAbstract The Arctic Ocean is undergoing a major transition as a result of global warming, with uncertain consequences for its ecosystems. Our study introduces an integrated analytical approach using co-occurrence networks, convergent cross-mapping, and energy landscape analysis. Applied to four years of amplicon data from Fram Strait, located at the boundary between Arctic and Atlantic waters, our method identifies keystone species in seasonal microbial communities, elucidates causal interactions, and predicts stable configurations across changing environments. We find strong evidence for a “winter reset”, implying that organisms representing the spring bloom are largely determined by prevailing environmental conditions during winter. In addition, our analysis suggests that winter communities may adapt more readily to expected Atlantification than summer communities. These results highlight the utility of innovative time-series analyses in disentangling ecosystem dynamics. This approach provides critical insights into Arctic ecological interactions, dynamics, and resilience and aids in understanding ecosystem responses to environmental change.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01782-0
spellingShingle Ellen Oldenburg
Raphael M. Kronberg
Katja Metfies
Matthias Wietz
Wilken-Jon von Appen
Christina Bienhold
Ovidiu Popa
Oliver Ebenhöh
Beyond blooms: the winter ecosystem reset determines microeukaryotic community dynamics in the Fram Strait
Communications Earth & Environment
title Beyond blooms: the winter ecosystem reset determines microeukaryotic community dynamics in the Fram Strait
title_full Beyond blooms: the winter ecosystem reset determines microeukaryotic community dynamics in the Fram Strait
title_fullStr Beyond blooms: the winter ecosystem reset determines microeukaryotic community dynamics in the Fram Strait
title_full_unstemmed Beyond blooms: the winter ecosystem reset determines microeukaryotic community dynamics in the Fram Strait
title_short Beyond blooms: the winter ecosystem reset determines microeukaryotic community dynamics in the Fram Strait
title_sort beyond blooms the winter ecosystem reset determines microeukaryotic community dynamics in the fram strait
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01782-0
work_keys_str_mv AT ellenoldenburg beyondbloomsthewinterecosystemresetdeterminesmicroeukaryoticcommunitydynamicsintheframstrait
AT raphaelmkronberg beyondbloomsthewinterecosystemresetdeterminesmicroeukaryoticcommunitydynamicsintheframstrait
AT katjametfies beyondbloomsthewinterecosystemresetdeterminesmicroeukaryoticcommunitydynamicsintheframstrait
AT matthiaswietz beyondbloomsthewinterecosystemresetdeterminesmicroeukaryoticcommunitydynamicsintheframstrait
AT wilkenjonvonappen beyondbloomsthewinterecosystemresetdeterminesmicroeukaryoticcommunitydynamicsintheframstrait
AT christinabienhold beyondbloomsthewinterecosystemresetdeterminesmicroeukaryoticcommunitydynamicsintheframstrait
AT ovidiupopa beyondbloomsthewinterecosystemresetdeterminesmicroeukaryoticcommunitydynamicsintheframstrait
AT oliverebenhoh beyondbloomsthewinterecosystemresetdeterminesmicroeukaryoticcommunitydynamicsintheframstrait