A critical trade-off between nitrogen quota and growth allows Coccolithus braarudii life cycle phases’ to exploit varying environment

Coccolithophores have a distinct haplo-diplontic life cycle, which allows them to grow and divide in two different life cycle phases (haploid and diploid). These life cycle phases vary significantly in inorganic carbon content and morphology, and inhabit distinct niches, with haploids generally preferring low-nutrient and high-temperature and -light environments. This niche contrast indicates different physiology of the life cycle phases, which is considered here in the context of a trait trade-off 5 framework, in which a particular set of traits comes with both costs and benefits. However, coccolithophore’s phase trade-offs are not fully identified, limiting our understanding of the functionality of the coccolithophore life cycle. Here, we investigate the response of the two life cycle phases of the coccolithophore Coccolithus braarudii to key environmental drivers: light, temperature and nutrients, using laboratory experiments. With this data, we identify the main trade-offs of each life cycle phase and use models to test the role of such trade-offs under different environmental conditions.