This study uses shotgun metagenomics of marine sedimentary ancient DNA from the Western Bering Sea to analyze ecosystem responses to sea-ice loss over the last ~20,000 years. The results show a shift from a sea-ice adapted late-glacial ecosystem (diatoms, copepods, codfish) to an ice-free Holocene ecosystem (cyanobacteria, salmon, herring). Ancient DNA is identified as a valuable tool for assessing long-term ecosystem responses to climate change, informing ocean and cryosphere risk assessments. Continuing sea-ice decline is predicted to impact carbon export and benthic food supply, potentially leading to northward species expansion.
Publisher
Nature Communications
Published On
Mar 24, 2023
Authors
Heike H. Zimmermann, Kathleen R. Stoof-Leichsenring, Viktor Dinkel, Lars Harms, Luise Schulte, Marc-Thorsten Hütt, Dirk Nürnberg, Ralf Tiedemann, Ulrike Herzschuh
Tags
marine sedimentary DNA
sea-ice loss
Holocene ecosystem
ancient DNA
climate change
carbon export
benthic food supply
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