ABSTRACT
Polar macroalgae are adapted to cold temperatures. The succession in polar marine benthic primary producers is affected by a number of biotic and abiotic factors. The first colonizers are usually diatoms and ephemeral macroalgae later followed by annual or perennial seaweeds. Different life stages of polar macroalgae show different susceptibility to Ultraviolet B (UV-B) damage of their Deoxyribonucleic acid. Global climate change has resulted in changes of several parallel stressors in polar regions. In addition to stratospheric ozone depletion and the resulting increase of solar UV-B, ocean warming and ocean acidification affects productivity, growth and development of macroalgae. It seems clear that increasing climate change is going to exert fundamental changes in polar regions because these are affected by the most extreme increases in temperature resulting in decreasing ice coverage, salinity, and increased sedimentation all of which will affect the macroalgae communities.
