Climate Change as Drivers of Microbial–Algal Interactions and their Implications

George, Grinson and Stoy, Ancy C and Vineetha, G and Kishore, Nanda and Baruah, Kartik and Gopalakrishnan, A and Prithvisagar, K S and Karunasagar, Indrani (2025) Climate Change as Drivers of Microbial–Algal Interactions and their Implications. In: Navigating Climate Change: Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience. Sustainable Development and Biodiversity (SDEB) (42). Springer, Singapore, pp. 61-79. ISBN 978-981-95-0409-1

Text Navigating Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience_2025_Grinson George.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (3MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Climate change is one of the crucial drivers of ecosystem dynamics in both freshwater and marine ecosystems that influences the intricate balance of the algal and microbial populations in the aquatic environment and their interactions thereof. The contribution of the algal and microbial population through their interactions is crucial in maintaining the milieu interior and functioning of aquatic ecosystems since they play a central role in nutrient cycling, primary production, and water quality maintenance. The most prominent and significant impact of climate change is the rise in temperature, especially sea surface temperatures, since the immediate effect of the elevated temperatures is the alteration of the metabolic rates of aquatic organisms due to accelerated biochemical processes such as photosynthesis and nutrient uptake. The increased temperatures also result in a shift of species distribution, creating a new dynamic in microbial–algal interactions, often leading to unpredictable and destructive consequences. Apart from the above, the increased absorption of atmospheric CO2 by the oceans leads to ocean acidification, a reduction in seawater pH, altering carbonate chemistry, and impacting both algal productivity and microbial processes. Salinity fluctuation, driven by altered precipitation patterns, freshwater inflows, and sea level rise, is another dimension of complexity to microbial–algal dynamics. Extreme weather events, including cyclones, floods, and droughts, intensify nutrient loading in aquatic systems with increased runoff from agricultural and urban areas, leading to an influx of excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus into water bodies. Additionally, climate changes influence multiple co-stressors within the ecosystem, resulting in a combination of effectors in biological interactions. The alteration of these interactions in the marine environment often occurs in a species-specific way, which could have critical ecological and public health implications.

Actions (login required)

View Item