Glacial melt disturbance shifts community metabolism of an Antarctic seafloor ecosystem from net autotrophy to heterotrophy

• Published in: Communications Biology
• Main Authors: Ulrike Braeckman, Francesca Pasotti, Ralf Hoffmann, Susana Vázquez, Angela Wulff, Irene R. Schloss, Ulrike Falk, Dolores Deregibus, Nene Lefaible, Anders Torstensson, Adil Al-Handal, Frank Wenzhöfer, Ann Vanreusel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Portfolio 2021
• Subjects: Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Potter Cove; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01673-6; https://doaj.org/article/07a664c91db443b7a5c90d34551be8f2

Ulrike Braeckman et al. use in situ benthic community and benthic biogeochemistry measurements in Potter Cove on the Antarctic Peninsula to show that climate-related glacial melt disturbance shifts benthic communities from net autotrophy to heterotrophy. This study sheds light on how future glacial melt and run-off may affect the metabolic balance of Antarctic benthic communities.