Zooplankton responses to simulated marine heatwave in the Mediterranean Sea using in situ mesocosms.

Globally, marine heatwave frequency, intensity, and duration are on the rise, posing a significant threat to plankton communities, the foundational elements of the marine food web. This study investigates the ecological and physiological responses of a temperate plankton community in the Thau lagoon, north-western Mediterranean, to a simulated +3°C ten-day heatwave followed by a ten-day post-heatwave period in in-situ mesocosms. Our analyses encompassed zooplankton grazing, production, community composition in water and sediment traps, as well as oxidative stress and anti-oxidant biomarkers.