AI Article Synopsis
- Marine species like corals and kelp are shifting their distributions due to climate change, and microbial biofilms play a crucial role in this process.
- Changes in climate can directly affect the composition of these biofilms and alter the feedback loops between the microbes and habitat-forming species.
- Understanding these interactions is vital for predicting how coastal ecosystems may change, particularly regarding the tropicalization effect stemming from climate change.
Article Abstract
Marine species, such as corals and kelp, are responding to climate change by altering their distributions. Microbial biofilms underpin key processes that affect the establishment, maintenance, and function of these dominant habitat-formers. Climate-mediated changes to microbial biofilms can therefore strongly influence species' range shifts. Here, we review emerging research on the interactions between benthic biofilms and habitat-formers and identify two key areas of interaction where climate change can impact this dynamic: (i) via direct effects on biofilm composition, and (ii) via impacts on the complex feedback loops which exist between the biofilm microbes and habitat-forming organisms. We propose that these key interactions will be fundamental in driving the speed and extent of tropicalisation of coastal ecosystems under climate change.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2023.07.015 | DOI Listing |
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