Virtual Issue: Diatoms

Diatoms compose one of the most important and diverse groups of phytoplankton. They contribute up to 40% of annual ocean productivity and are critical components of many coastal and inland lake food webs; while also maintaining a subfossil record in sediments. This virtual issue presents a collection of Journal of Plankton Research papers, focusing on diatoms with an emphasis on stress responses to nutrient limitation, climate warming and acidification. Together, these papers demonstrate the many ways diatoms can be studied, from the laboratory to the field.

Introduction By Lisa Campbell and Beatrix Beisner

Globally, diatoms are one of the most important and diverse groups of photosynthetic eukaryotic phytoplankton. They are found in a wide range of aquatic ecosystems from freshwater to brackish to marine, and from polar to temperate to tropical regions. As dominant members of the phytoplankton, diatoms contribute up to 40% of annual productivity in the global ocean and form the basis of the food web in many coastal and inland lake environments. They also maintain a record in sediments which have been used to document environmental change. This virtual issue presents a collection of previously published papers from the Journal of Plankton Research, focussing on the physiology and behaviour of diatoms with an emphasis on stress responses to nutrient limitation, climate warming and acidification. Interestingly, many of these papers stress the importance of recognizing taxon- or species-specific differences in diatom responses. This special issue provides a glimpse into the many ways diatoms can be studied, including examples from laboratory culture and field experiments, as well as empirical studies of natural populations.