Metabolic Responses of Eelgrass to Environmental Stressors
EMSL Project ID
50410
Abstract
Seagrass is recognized as a critical habitat for a variety of ecosystem services such as fisheries, pollutant detoxification, and sequestration of “blue” carbon. EPA and WA Dept of Ecology have made large investments for restoration of eelgrass, a keystone species in Puget Sound, but the success rate of restoration is limited by a lack of fundamental knowledge of how eelgrass responds/adapts to changing ocean conditions. We propose to develop a suite of biomarker proxies for eelgrass health based on cellular metabolite abundance.
We will grow 2-3 strains of eelgrass found in different regions throughout Puget Sound under controlled conditions in 5 existing seawater-plumbed tanks at the Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) to identify key metabolites that respond to specific stress factors and to test the adaptation of local strains. Considering light and temperature are the primary stress factors for eelgrass in nature, we will perform 1 control treatment, 2 reduced light treatments, and 2 increased temperature treatments (light and temperature sensors will be installed in each tank). Growth rates will be measured weekly by trimming/measuring leaves, which will be rinsed and frozen in liquid N2, stored at -80’C, and freeze-dried for metabolomics. Chemical analyses will be performed via FT-ICR-MS, LC-MS, and GC-MS. We will search for signatures/molecules that statistically vary across treatments and seasons. Once identified, the ecophysiological role of significantly varying molecules will be examined based on genomic databases to compile a small number of “stress biomarkers.” Once the suite of biomarkers is established we will collect field samples along a depth (i.e., light) gradient to confirm test tank results. We anticipate only analyzing a subset of samples collected from the test tanks for metabolomics, but will archive samples in the event that we want to examine higher resolution temporal variability (e.g. seasonal vs. monthly vs. weekly). Our primary goal is to develop a suite of biomarker proxies for light and temperature related stress factors.
Project Details
Start Date
2018-06-04
End Date
2020-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members
Related Publications
Zayas-Santiago C., A. Rivas-Ubach, L. Kuo, N.D. Ward, and R.C. Zimmerman. 2020. "Metabolic profiling reveals biochemical pathways responsible for eelgrass response to elevated CO2 and temperature." Scientific Reports 10, no. 1:Article No. 4693. PNNL-SA-142954. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-61684-x