Unveiling growth and carbon composition of macroalgae with different strategies under global change

Marine macroalgae ecosystems are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to carbon sequestration within blue carbon strategies. This study investigates how the carbon storage capacity of two macroalgal species with different living strategies, Fucus vesiculosus (k-strategy, slow-growing) and Ulva lactuca (r-strategy, fast-growing), respond to the individual or combined impacts of two drivers of global change, eutrophication and marine heatwaves. Differences in growth, biomass and carbon accumulation were assessed after 7 and 14 days in two experiments (field and laboratory) that tested different combinations of nutrient enrichment (increase nutrient/surface area of 1 g/cm² in the field experiment and a concentration of 10 ml/l of Provasoli solution in the laboratory) and warming (5 °C increase) treatments. Results revealed that nutrient addition treatments had significant effects, reducing carbon incorporation by up to 22.5 % in F. vesiculosus compared to control. This reduction was particularly evident in the field experiment, suggesting that eutrophication negatively impacts the carbon storage potential of this slow-growing species. However, F. vesiculosus demonstrated greater resilience in maintaining biomass stability, whereas U. lactuca exhibited reduced growth and carbon accumulation under natural conditions. These findings highlight species-specific differences in carbon assimilation and biomass composition among macroalgae, which can influence their potential contribution to carbon cycling and storage in marine ecosystems, shaped by their ecological and physiological traits, and emphasize the importance of nutrient management for optimizing blue carbon storage. This research contributes to our understanding of macroalgae's role in climate mitigation and underscores the need for targeted conservation strategies to enhance their ecosystem services.