title: The future of the northeast Atlantic benthic flora in a high CO2 world.
abstract: Seaweed and seagrass communities in the northeast Atlantic have been profoundly impacted by humans, and the rate of change is accelerating rapidly due to runaway CO2 emissions and mounting pressures on coastlines associated with human population growth and increased consumption of finite resources. Here, we predict how rapid warming and acidification are likely to affect benthic flora and coastal ecosystems of the northeast Atlantic in this century, based on global evidence from the literature as interpreted by the collective knowledge of the authorship. We predict that warming will kill off kelp forests in the south and that ocean acidification will remove maerl habitat in the north. Seagrasses will proliferate, and associated epiphytes switch from calcified algae to diatoms and filamentous species. Invasive species will thrive in niches liberated by loss of native species and spread via exponential development of artificial marine structures. Combined impacts of seawater warming, ocean acidification, and increased storminess may replace structurally diverse seaweed canopies, with associated calcified and noncalcified flora, with simple habitats dominated by noncalcified, turf-forming seaweeds.
authors: Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK.
authors: Juliet
authors: J
authors: Brodie
authors: Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK ; School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3YE, UK.
authors: Christopher J
authors: CJ
authors: Williamson
authors: Marine Biological Association of the UK Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK ; Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK.
authors: Dan A
authors: DA
authors: Smale
authors: School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
authors: Nicholas A
authors: NA
authors: Kamenos
authors: Marine Biological Association of the UK Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK.
authors: Nova
authors: N
authors: Mieszkowska
authors: Marine Plant Ecology Research Group (ALGAE), Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve Campus of Gambelas, Faro, 8005-139, Portugal.
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Santos
authors: Marine Biological Association of the UK Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Cunliffe
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Steinke
authors: Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK ; Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Yesson
authors: Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia #4200-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors: Kathryn M
authors: KM
authors: Anderson
authors: DiSTAV - University of Genoa C.so Europa 26, Genoa, 16132, Italy.
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Asnaghi
authors: Marine Biological Association of the UK Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK.
authors: Colin
authors: C
authors: Brownlee
authors: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9AL, UK ; Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK.
authors: Heidi L
authors: HL
authors: Burdett
authors: Scottish Marine Institute Oban, Argyll, PA37 1QA, UK.
authors: Michael T
authors: MT
authors: Burrows
authors: Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh The King's Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, UK.
authors: Sinead
authors: S
authors: Collins
authors: School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
authors: Penelope J C
authors: PJ
authors: Donohue
authors: Institute of Biology, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University Aberystwyth, UK.
authors: Ben
authors: B
authors: Harvey
authors: Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Sciences and Engineering, Plymouth University PL4 8AA, UK.
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Foggo
authors: CNRS, UMR 7144, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Place Georges Teissier, Roscoff Cedex, 29688, France ; UPMC Univ. Paris 6, UMR 7144 Station Biologique de Roscoff, Place Georges Teissier, Roscoff Cedex, 29688, France.
authors: Fanny
authors: F
authors: Noisette
authors: Plymouth Marine Laboratory Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, UK.
authors: Joana
authors: J
authors: Nunes
authors: School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK.
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Ragazzola
authors: Division of Plant Science, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, UK ; Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Raven
authors: School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK.
authors: Daniela N
authors: DN
authors: Schmidt
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Suggett
authors: Leibniz-Zentrum für Marine Tropenökologie Fahrenheitstraße 6, Bremen, D-28359, Germany.
authors: Mirta
authors: M
authors: Teichberg
authors: Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Sciences and Engineering, Plymouth University PL4 8AA, UK.
authors: Jason M
authors: JM
authors: Hall-Spencer
keywords: Calcified algae; climate change; invasive species; macroalgae; microphytobenthos; seagrasses; volatile gases