Datasets and figures "Response dissimilarity of photoautotrophs to temperature-related extreme events"

This study investigates how thermal extremes alter the population dynamics of three photoautotrophic microalgae: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Chlorella sp., and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Utilizing short-term treatments (22∘C–40∘C), we analyzed growth responses in both monocultures and bicultural assemblies. Results revealed distinct thermal niches: Chlorella exhibited thermal sensitivity, Synechocystis demonstrated thermophilic enhancement, and C. reinhardtii displayed a unimodal optimization at moderate temperatures. In mixed communities, functional complementarity reduced growth variability and yielded overyielding effects. These data support the insurance hypothesis, suggesting that interspecific variation in thermal tolerance confers ecosystem resilience and stabilizes productivity against climate-driven disturbances.