Description: Ocean warming and acidification may substantially affect the photophysiological performance of keystone species such as Fucus vesiculosus (Phaeophyceae) in shallow coastal waters. In four consecutive benthic mesocosm experiments (Kiel Outdoor Benthocosm, Kiel, Germany, 54°20'N; 10°09'E), we compared the photophysiological performance (i.e., oxygen production, in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence, energy dissipation pathways and chlorophyll concentration) of Baltic Sea Fucus under the single and combined impact of elevated seawater temperature (Δ + 5°C) and pCO2 (1100 ppm). Fucus specimens were sampled, in each season (spring: April 2, 2013; summer: July 2, 2013; autumn: 8 October; winter: January 14, 2014) from a depth of 0.2–1 m in the Kiel Fjord (Bülk), western Baltic Sea, Germany (54°27'N; 10°11,5'E). Photosynthetic performance was measured with two different methods, one based on in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements of photosystem II (PSII), the other one based on oxygen production. For each experiment and treatment, three Fucus specimens 15–25 cm long with 91 ± 30 total apices and apparently equal vigor were chosen, each individually growing on a stone (10–15 cm in diameter) from a single holdfast. For details see material and methods in Graiff et al. 2021. Photosynthesis was highest in spring/early summer when water temperature and solar irradiance increases naturally, and was lowest in winter (December to January/February). Temperature had a stronger effect than pCO2 on photosynthetic performance of Fucus in all seasons. Photophysiological responses were generally positive during the cooler spring months, but strongly negatively affected during summer (due to a marine heat-wave). Especially, future summer temperatures exceeded the thermal tolerance threshold of western Baltic Sea Fucus and had a deleterious impact overall. Potential benefits of the combination of future ocean warming and increased pCO2 over most of the year for Fucus photophysiological performance are suggested by our study, but not during summer peak temperatures.

Description: Shallow coastal marine ecosystems are exposed to intensive warming events in the last decade, threatening keystone macroalgal species such as the bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus, Phaeophyceae) in the Baltic Sea. Herein, we experimentally tested in four consecutive benthic mesocosm experiments, if the single and combined impact of elevated seawater temperature (? + 5◦C) and pCO2 (1100 ppm) under natural irradiance conditions seasonally affected the photophysiological performance (i.e., oxygen production, in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence, energy dissipation pathways and chlorophyll concentration) of Baltic Sea Fucus. Photosynthesis was highest in spring/early summer when water temperature and solar irradiance increases naturally, and was lowest in winter (December to January/February). Temperature had a stronger effect than pCO2 on photosynthetic performance of Fucus in all seasons. In contrast to the expectation that warmer winter conditions might be beneficial, elevated temperature conditions and sub-optimal low winter light conditions decreased photophysiological performance of Fucus. In summer, western Baltic Sea Fucus already lives close to its upper thermal tolerance limit and future warming of the Baltic Sea during summer may probably become deleterious for this species. However, our results indicate that over most of the year a combination of future ocean warming and increased pCO2 will have slightly positive effects for Fucus photophysiological performance.

Description: Ocean warming and acidification may substantially affect the photophysiological performance of keystone species such as Fucus vesiculosus (Phaeophyceae) in shallow coastal waters. In four consecutive benthic mesocosm experiments (Kiel Outdoor Benthocosm, Kiel, Germany, 54°20'N; 10°09'E), we compared the photophysiological performance (i.e., oxygen production, in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence, energy dissipation pathways and chlorophyll concentration) of Baltic Sea Fucus under the single and combined impact of elevated seawater temperature (Δ + 5°C) and pCO2 (1100 ppm). Fucus specimens were sampled, in each season (spring: April 2, 2013; summer: July 2, 2013; autumn: 8 October; winter: January 14, 2014) from a depth of 0.2–1 m in the Kiel Fjord (Bülk), western Baltic Sea, Germany (54°27'N; 10°11,5'E). Photosynthetic performance was measured with two different methods, one based on in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements of photosystem II (PSII), the other one based on oxygen production. For each experiment and treatment, three Fucus specimens 15–25 cm long with 91 ± 30 total apices and apparently equal vigor were chosen, each individually growing on a stone (10–15 cm in diameter) from a single holdfast. For details see material and methods in Graiff et al. 2021. Photosynthesis was highest in spring/early summer when water temperature and solar irradiance increases naturally, and was lowest in winter (December to January/February). Temperature had a stronger effect than pCO2 on photosynthetic performance of Fucus in all seasons. Photophysiological responses were generally positive during the cooler spring months, but strongly negatively affected during summer (due to a marine heat-wave). Especially, future summer temperatures exceeded the thermal tolerance threshold of western Baltic Sea Fucus and had a deleterious impact overall. Potential benefits of the combination of future ocean warming and increased pCO2 over most of the year for Fucus photophysiological performance are suggested by our study, but not during summer peak temperatures.

Description: The impact of variable underwater photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and photosynthetic parameters on photosynthetic oxygen production of Laminaria hyperborea off the island of Helgoland (North Sea, Germany) was investigated throughout summer 2014. L. hyperborea was sampled along a depth gradient (0.5, 2, 4, 6 m) and discs from three different blade regions (5, 25 and 50 cm above the stipe-blade transition zone) were set into photosynthesis versus irradiance (PI) curves. After cutting and before the oxygen incubation, maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) were measured as a health indicator. PI-curve parameters were normalized to either fresh mass or disc area. Additionally, chlorophyll a content was measured in each disc and normalized to the same two parameters as PI parameters. In situ PAR was measured in different depths (1.2, 2.9, 4.4, 6.6 m) to gain daily diffuse vertical attenuation coefficient (Kd). PAR along the vertical depth profile was calculated and together with PI-curve parameters oxygen production was calculated along the vertical depth profile. Leaf area index (Pehlke and Bartsch, 2008) was used to extrapolate oxygen production rates to seafloor and a photosynthetic quotient (PQ) of 1.18 (Miller III et al., 2009) to convert rates into carbon fixation rates. This net primary production (NPP) was given along the vertical depth profile based on different Kd values (daily Kd, mean Kd, minimum Kd, maximum Kd).

Description: Over the whole water column, daily diffuse attenuation coefficient (Kd in 1/m) values are based on in situ photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) measurements performed in different depths (1.2, 2.9, 4.4, 6.6 m) during summer 2014. PAR for the algae collection depths is calculated based on daily Kd values. Daily net primary production (NPP in g C/m² seafloor/day) for each sampling depth is calculated with in situ vertical profiles based on daily Kd, leaf area index (Pehlke and Bartsch, 2008) and a photosynthetic quotient (PQ) of 1.18 (Miller III et al. 2009). For comparative purposes, daily NPP values were also calculated using the measured maximum and minimum daily Kd and the mean Kd, which were derived from all daily Kd over the entire sampling period.

Description: This dataset comprises environmental parameters for biological soil crusts in coastal sand dunes in northern Germany. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are autonomous ecosystems consisting of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms growing on the topsoil. They colonize global climatic zones, including temperate dunes. This study examined changes in the community structure of biocrust phototrophic organisms along a dune chronosequence at the Baltic Sea compared to an inland dune in Northern Germany. The community composition and their shift between different successional stages of dune development were related to physico-chemical sediment properties. A vegetation survey followed by species determination and sediment analyses were conducted. The sampling took place on the 25th of April and on the 5th of May 2020. The samples were collected at a costal dune area, namely the Schaabe spit on the island Rügen, Mecklenburg Wester-Pomerania, Germany, and in an inland dune area at Verden (Aller), Lower Saxony, Germany. Biocrust samples were taken along one transect per study site. Each transect followed a natural succession gradient in the dune area. Along each transect, the different successional dune stages were visually identified and further named as dune subsites. At each subsite, a sampling plot of 1 m2 was established and used for further vegetation analyses, biocrust and sediment sampling. Along the Schaabe spit transect four subsites with one sampling plot each were established and three subsites were established in the inland dune in Verden. For the vegetation survey seven different functional groups were defined describing the overall surface coverage: Thin (1-3 mm) green algae-dominated biocrusts were defined as early successional stages. Later successional stages, in which the green algae biocrusts became slightly thicker (3-8 mm) and moss-covered, were defined as the intermediate successional biocrust stage. Moss-dominated biocrusts and those who additionally lichenized characterized the mature successional stages of biocrusts. Vascular plants, and litter (dead material, i.e., pine needles, leaves, and branches) were two of the non-cryptogamic but still biotic functional groups. Bare sediment was the only abiotic functional group. The predefined functional groups were recorded within each plot according to the point intercept method by Levy and Madden (1933). Each of the seven sampling plots was divided into 16 equal subplots (0.0625 m2). A 25 cm x 25 cm (0.0625 m2) grid of 25 intersections was placed randomly into 4 of these subplots. Within each sub-plot, the functional groups were recorded by 25 point measurements according to the approach of Williams et al. (2017). That allowed 100 point measurements per sampling plot (1 m2).

Description: In-situ photosynetically active radiation (PAR) was measured in different depths (1.2, 2.9, 4.4, 6.6 m) every 10-15 min during summer 2014. Odyssey PAR loggers were calibrated against a cosine-corrected planar PAR sensor (LI-190SA quantum sensor, LI-COR Inc., USA) over a 24 h period at 4 m depth in the Helgolandic South harbor. During the Laminaria hyperborea sampling period (seven weeks), incoming PAR was recorded continuously every 15 min at 1.2 and 2.9 m, and every 30 min at 4.4 and 6.6 m near the sampling area of sporophytes. To avoid biofouling of the sensor heads, PAR loggers were cleaned every week (1.2 m) or every second week (all other depths) by SCUBA divers.

Description: Laminaria hyperborea off the island of Helgoland (North Sea, Germany) was sampled along a depth gradient (0.5, 2, 4, 6 m) throughout summer 2014. Chlorophyll a content was measured. Discs were cut from three different blade regions (5, 25 and 50 cm above the stipe-blade transition zone) and normalized to either dry mass, fresh mass or disc area. The samples were freeze-dried for approximately 36 h (Beta 1–8 LDplus, Christ, Osterode am Harz, Germany), finely ground for several minutes using steel grinding balls (3 mm diameter) in a Mikro-Dismembrator U (Braun Biontech International, Melsungen, Germany), cooled centrifuged (Centrifuge 3K10, Sigma, Osterode, Germany), and measured in the spectrophotometer (U-3310, Hitachi High-Tech, Japan) at two wavelengths (347 and 664.5 nm).

Description: Laminaria hyperborea off the island of Helgoland (North Sea, Germany) was sampled along a depth gradient (0.5, 2, 4, 6 m) throughout summer 2014. Stipe length of the sporophyte was measured. In blade discs from three different blade regions (5, 25 and 50 cm above the stipe-blade transition zone) dry mass, fresh mass and dry mass:area ratio were measured.

Description: Laminaria hyperborea off the island of Helgoland (North Sea, Germany) was sampled along a depth gradient (0.5, 2, 4, 6 m) throughout summer 2014. Discs were cut from three different blade regions (5, 25 and 50 cm above the stipe-blade transition zone) and set into photosynthesis versus irradiance (PI) curves. PI curves were fitted by minimizing the sum of differences between the measured oxygen flux and the model proposed by Jassby and Platt (1976). Parameters were normalized to fresh mass and area.