Short-term effects of increasing CO2, nitrate and temperature on three Mediterranean macroalgae: biochemical composition

Abstract

Short-term effects of increasing pCO2; 380 ppm (LC) vs. 700 ppm (HC); at different nitrogen levels; 5 µM nitrate (LN) vs. 50 µM (HN); on the contents of protein, mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), phenolic compounds and total fatty acids, antioxidant activity, calcification and C:N ratios were analyzed in 3 eulittoral Mediterranean macroalgae with different bio-optical characteristics and carbon assimilation efficiencies: Cystoseira tamariscifolia (Heterokontophyta), Ulva rigida (Chlorophyta) and Ellisolandia elongata (Rhodophyta). After acclimation to different pCO2 and nitrogen conditions for 6 d, the algae were subjected to a 4°C temperature increase for 3 d. Increasing temperature and pCO2 produced alterations in the biochemical composition of the 3 macroalgae. Short-term variations of protein levels were observed in U. rigida, with clearly decreased values in the HCLN treatment. In C. tamariscifolia, protein decreased after the temperature increase but only under LC. The interaction of temperature and N affected phenolic compounds only in U. rigida and the content of MAAs in E. elongata. The functional patterns of the 3 macroalgae in response to the pCO2, nitrogen and temperature regimes may be explained in terms of their bio-optical characteristics and antioxidant activity. The vulnerability and acclimation of the 3 species to the expected variations of climate change factors are discussed.