Experimental Impacts of Climate Warming and Ocean Acidification on Metabolic Function and Blue Carbon Accumulation by Eelgrass
EMSL Project ID
50358
Abstract
The goal of this study is to elucidate physiological and genetic responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) populations to the combined effects of ocean acidification and climate warming in order to develop a predictive understanding of seagrass response to climate change. At a fundamental level, we seek a mechanistic understanding of the interaction between metabolic carbon balance, physiological acclimation, acclimatization and population adaptation to different temperature and CO2 environments that are predicted to alter the structure and function of coastal marine ecosystems in the next century. The proposed work will explore the interactive effects of summer temperature stress and CO2 availability on eelgrass (Zostera marina L.), the most widely distributed, and often dominant, seagrass species in the temperate northern hemisphere, by comparing the differential responses of geographically isolated and genetically distinct populations from the seasonally dynamic thermal environment of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia with those from stenothermal habitats in Puget Sound, Washington. More than providing a snapshot comparison of performance across populations, this work will provide a holistic examination of how the environment influences critical downstream performance features linked to plant survival. The predictive model resulting from these experiments will help develop leading indicators for the overall health of seagrasses.
Project Details
Project type
FICUS Research
Start Date
2018-10-01
End Date
2021-03-31
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Co-Investigator(s)
Team Members