title: Phenotypic Variability in the Coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi.
abstract: Coccolithophores are a vital part of oceanic phytoplankton assemblages that produce organic matter and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) containing traces of other elements (i.e. Sr and Mg). Their associated carbon export from the euphotic zone to the oceans' interior plays a crucial role in CO2 feedback mechanisms and biogeochemical cycles. The coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi has been widely studied as a model organism to understand physiological, biogeochemical, and ecological processes in marine sciences. Here, we show the inter-strain variability in physiological and biogeochemical traits in 13 strains of E. huxleyi from various biogeographical provinces obtained from culture collections commonly used in the literature. Our results demonstrate that inter-strain genetic variability has greater potential to induce larger phenotypic differences than the phenotypic plasticity of single strains cultured under a broad range of variable environmental conditions. The range of variation found in physiological parameters and calcite Sr:Ca highlights the need to reconsider phenotypic variability in paleoproxy calibrations and model parameterizations to adequately translate findings from single strain laboratory experiments to the real ocean.
authors.affiliation: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of Southampton, European Way, SO14 3ZH Southampton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2698-1735
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blanco-Ameijeiras
authors.affiliation: Kiel University (CAU), Christian-Albrechts-Platz 4, 24118, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lebrato
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Oviedo, Arias de Velasco s/n, 33005 Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Stoll
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, United States of America.
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Oceanographic Institute at the University of São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico 191, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marius N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Oviedo, Arias de Velasco s/n, 33005 Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Méndez-Vicente
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oschlies
mesh_terms: D014644:Genetic Variation; D058087:Haptophyta / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D010839:Phytoplankton / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*