Opportunities and challenges in deriving phytoplankton diversity measures from individual trait-based data obtained by scanning flow-cytometry

In the context of understanding and predicting the effects of human-induced environmental change (EC) on biodiversity (BD), and the consequences of BD change for ecosystem functioning (EF), microbial ecologists face the challenge of linking individual level variability in functional traits to larger-scale ecosystem processes. Since lower level BD at genetic, individual, and population levels largely determines the functionality and resilience of natural populations and communities, individual level measures promise to link EC-induced physiological, ecological, and evolutionary responses to EF. Intraspecific trait differences, while representing among the least-understood aspects of natural microbial communities, have recently become easier to measure due to new technology. For example, recent advance in scanning flow-cytometry (SCF), automation of phytoplankton sampling and integration with environmental sensors allow to measure morphological and physiological traits of individual algae with high spatial and temporal resolution. Here we present emerging features of automated SFC data from natural phytoplankton communities and the opportunities that they provide for understanding the functioning of complex aquatic microbial communities. We highlight some current limitations and future needs, particularly focusing on the large amount of individual level data that, for the purpose of understanding the EC-BD-EF link, need to be translated into meaningful BD indices. We review the available functional diversity (FD) indices that, despite having been designed for mean trait values at the species level, can be adapted to individual-based trait data and provide links to ecological theory. We conclude that, considering some computational, mathematical and ecological issues, a set of multi-dimensional indices that address richness, evenness and divergence in overall community trait space represent the most promising BD metrics to study EC-BD-EF using individual level data.