Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Complex Dynamics Of Coral Gene Expression Responses To Low Ph Across Species, Veronica Z. Radice, Ana Martinez, Adina Paytan, Donald C. Potts, Daniel J. Barshis

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Coral capacity to tolerate low pH affects coral community composition and, ultimately, reef ecosystem function. Low pH submarine discharges (‘Ojo’; Yucatán, México) represent a natural laboratory to study plasticity and acclimatization to low pH in relation to ocean acidification. A previous >2‐year coral transplant experiment to ambient and low pH common garden sites revealed differential survivorship across species and sites, providing a framework to compare mechanistic responses to differential pH exposures. Here, we examined gene expression responses of transplants of three species of reef‐building corals (Porites astreoides, Porites porites and Siderastrea siderea) and their algal endosymbiont communities …

Season Influences Interspecific Responses Of Canopy-Forming Kelps To Future Warming And Acidification At High Latitude, Lauren E. Bell, Lily Westphal, Evan O' Brien, Jason A. Toy, Haleigh Damron, Kristy J. Kroeker

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Variability in primary producers' responses to environmental change may buffer higher trophic levels against shifts in basal resource composition. Then again, in instances where there is a lack of functional redundancy because consumers rely on a few species to meet their energetic requirements at specific times of the year, altered community production dynamics may significantly impact food web resilience. In high-latitude kelp forests, a complementary annual phenology of seaweed production supports coastal marine consumers' metabolic needs across large seasonal variations in their environment. Yet, marine consumers in these systems may face significant metabolic stress under the pronounced low pH conditions …

Viral-Mediated Microbe Mortality Modulated By Ocean Acidification And Eutrophication: Consequences For The Carbon Fluxes Through The Microbial Food Web, Andrea Malits, Julia A. Boras, Vanessa Balagué, Eva Calvo, Josep M. Gasol, Cèlia Marrasé, Carles Pelejero, Jarone Pinhassi, Maria Montserrat Sala, Dolors Vaqué

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Anthropogenic carbon emissions are causing changes in seawater carbonate chemistry including a decline in the pH of the oceans. While its aftermath for calcifying microbes has been widely studied, the effect of ocean acidification (OA) on marine viruses and their microbial hosts is controversial, and even more in combination with another anthropogenic stressor, i.e., human-induced nutrient loads. In this study, two mesocosm acidification experiments with Mediterranean waters from different seasons revealed distinct effects of OA on viruses and viral-mediated prokaryotic mortality depending on the trophic state and the successional stage of the plankton community. In the winter bloom situation, low …

The Role Of Symbiotic Algae In The Acclimatization Of Oculina Arbuscula To Ocean Acidification, Erin M. Arneson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ocean acidification (OA) caused by CO₂ emissions is projected to decrease seawater pH to 7.6 by 2100. Scleractinian corals are at risk because excess H⁺ in seawater binds to carbonate (CO₃^2-), reducing its availability for CaCO₃ skeletons. The energy demand for skeletal growth increases as pH decreases because corals must actively purge excess H⁺ from their seawater sourced calcifying fluid to maintain high calcification rates. In scleractinian corals it is hypothesized that photosynthesis by symbiotic algae is critical to meet this increased energy demand. To test this hypothesis, I conducted laboratory and field …

Interactive Effects Of Ocean Acidification And Ocean Warming On Pacific Herring (Clupea Pallasi) Early Life Stages, Brooke Love, Cristina Villalobos, M. Brady Olson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The synergy of ocean acidification and ocean warming may lead to negative marine organism responses not apparent under single stressors. While adult fish are effective acid-base regulators, and presumably less affected by environmental stressors, early life stages may be more susceptible. Pacific herring are ecologically and economically important forage fish, native to the U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW). However, the herring populations in the PNW have experienced reductions in stock abundance. This study focused on the combined effects of ocean acidification and ocean warming on Pacific herring embryo and larval life stages. Pacific herring embryos were incubated under a factorial design …

Blue Carbon: Port Of Seattle’S Kelp, Eelgrass And Shellfish Enhancement Pilot Project, Jon Sloan

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Port of Seattle is working to become carbon neutral by 2050. In addition to reducing emissions, the Port’s strategy includes enhancing carbon sequestration through habitat restoration. To that end, the Port completed a study in 2017 to quantify sequestration benefits associated with different land cover and habitat types found in the Duwamish River estuary and Elliott Bay, including riparian forest, marsh, mudflat, eelgrass and kelp beds. The review determined that kelp and eelgrass – so called “blue carbon” – provide highly significant sequestration benefits. In fact, they sequester more carbon than almost any other habitat type in the world. …

Seasonal Patterns Of Estuarine Acidification In Seagrass Beds Of The Snohomish Estuary, Wa, Stephen Pacella, Cheryl A. Brown, T. Chris Mochon-Collura, George G. Waldbusser, Rochelle G. Labiosa, Burke Hales

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Recent studies have begun to explore physical and biogeochemical mechanisms of carbonate chemistry variability in a variety of coastal habitats, including coral reefs, upwelling margins, and inland seas. To our knowledge, there have been limited mechanistic studies of annual carbonate chemistry variability in nearshore estuarine environments. Here, we present autonomous sensor and grab sample data of carbonate chemistry covering a 10 month period from two subtidal seagrass bed sites in Possession Sound, WA. Simple mass balance stoichiometric models are used to evaluate seasonal drivers of carbonate system parameters in the seagrass beds. Simulations of increasing anthropogenic carbon (Canth) burdens in …

Ameliorating Ocean Acidification: Towards A Model Relating Pco2, Irradiance And Leaf Area Index Of Zostera Marina (Eelgrass) In Padilla Bay, Wa, Tyler Tran, Brooke Love, Sylvia Yang, Cinde Donoghue

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

In nearshore, soft-sediment habitats of the Salish Sea, eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) meadows have been identified as potential mitigators of ocean acidification (OA) because their photosynthetic activity can decrease pCO2, increase pH and provide refuge for organisms sensitive to OA. The diurnal light cycle controls photosynthetic production of eelgrass and therefore, along with tidal cycles, exerts strong controls on variations in pCO2 in nearshore environment. In this study, we investigate the carbon uptake rates for eelgrass under varying light, ambient pCO2 conditions and eelgrass densities (leaf area index). The magnitude of changes predicted based on experimentally derived photosynthetic rates, measured …

Elevated Carbon Dioxide Alters Neural Signaling And Anti-Predator Behaviors In Ocean Phase Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch), Chase Williams, Evan Gallagher, Andrew Dittman, Paul Mcelhany, Shallin Busch, Theo Bammler, James Macdonald

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Elevated levels of CO2 have been shown to disrupt numerous neurological sensory systems in marine fish. This is of concern as Pacific salmon rely heavily on an important neurosensory system for survival, the olfactory system. In this study, we investigated the effects of elevated CO2 on a salmon olfactory driven behavior, as well as changes in neural signaling and gene expression within the peripheral and central olfactory system. Juvenile coho salmon were exposed to three different levels of CO2 for two weeks. These included a current CO2 level with a pH of 7.8, a medium CO2 level with a pH …

Variability In Water Column Respiration In Salish Sea Waters And Implications For Coastal And Ocean Acidification, Jude K. Apple, Claire Cook, Natasha R. Christman, Shauna Bjornson, J. A. (Jan A.) Newton

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Water column respiration is a key driver of carbon cycling, ocean acidification, and oxygen dynamics in marine ecosystems. However, empirical estimates of the range and variability of respiration and its relative contribution to ocean acidification are seldom measured. In 2014, we began measuring respiration rates at multiple sites in the central Salish Sea (San Juan Islands, Bellingham Bay) and then initiated routine monitoring of water column respiration at multiple sites in Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). Measurements in Padilla Bay were integrated into the well-established NERR System Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP). Our investigation revealed that 1) rates of …

From Knowledge To Action: Advancing Washington State's Strategic Response On Ocean Acidification, Julie D. Horowitz, Martha Kongsgaard

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

In the five years since the Blue Ribbon Panel’s 2012 report “Ocean Acidification: From Knowledge to Action”, there have been significant scientific advances and progress on the recommended actions. The Marine Resources Advisory Council (MRAC) saw a need to re-evaluate the 2012 strategy, resulting in a 2017 Addendum to the Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification report. The Addendum is a companion report that expands upon the 2012 work. New research emphasizes and justifies the need for more concerted efforts to combat ocean acidification as the North American west coast experiences some of the earliest and most advanced signs of …

Salish Sea Model: Ocean Acidification Module And The Response To Regional Anthropogenic Nutrient Sources, G. J. Pelletier, Laura Bianucci, Wen Long, Tarang Khangaonkar, Teizeen Mohamedali, Anise Ahmed, Cristiana Figueroa-Kaminsky, Nina Bednarsek

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Several monitoring programs indicate the presence of lower pH and related changes in carbonate system variables in the Salish Sea. This project expands the existing Salish Sea Model to evaluate carbonate system variables. This project quantifies the influences of regional nutrient sources on acidification. The model accounts for Pacific Ocean upwelled water, regional human nutrient contributions, and air emissions around the Salish Sea. This effort also identifies geographical areas and seasons experiencing greater influence from regional sources of nutrients to Salish Sea waters. Results from this effort indicate that increased dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phytoplankton biomass, and non-algal organic carbon caused …

Omega Oracle: Forecasting Estuarine Carbonate Weather, Cameron Allen, George G. Waldbusser, Burke Hales

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

There are serious concerns about ecological, social, and economic impacts in the Pacific Northwest due to Ocean Acidification (OA). We built a system to predict aragonite saturation state (Ω) of seawater in Netarts Bay, Oregon based on large scale forcing parameters. An artificial neural network – trained against a continuous, multiyear monitoring record of carbonate chemistry – learns a regression estimate of Ω based on seasonality, tides, and wind conditions. This approach is agnostic to the details of the underlying chemical and biological processes offering a distinct modelling perspective. The result is a conceptually simpler and more strictly empirical parameterization …

Liveocean: A Daily Forecast Model Of Biogeochemistry In Washington Marine Waters, Parker Maccready, Samantha A. Siedlecki, Ryan M. Mccabe

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

LiveOcean is a daily forecast model of ocean conditions for the coastal waters of Washington, Oregon, and Vancouver Island, as well as the Salish Sea. It is forced with realistic tides, winds, rivers, and ocean conditions. The model simulates biogeochemical properties including phytoplankton, nitrate, dissolved oxygen, dissolved inorganic carbon, and alkalinity, up to 3 days in the future. It is used for the prediction of ocean acidification events in coastal estuaries, and for harmful algal bloom events on coastal beaches. I will describe the model construction, comparisons with observations, uses, and future developments.

Sensitivity Of The Regional Ocean Acidification And Carbonate System In Puget Sound To Ocean And Freshwater Inputs, Laura Bianucci, Wen Long, Tarang Khangaonkar, G. J. Pelletier, Anise Ahmed, Teizeen Mohamedali, Mindy Roberts, Cristiana Figueroa-Kaminsky

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

While ocean acidification was first investigated as a global phenomenon, coastal acidification has received significant attention in recent years, as its impacts have been felt by different socio-economic sectors (e.g., high mortality of shellfish larvae in aquaculture farms). As a region that connects land and ocean, the Salish Sea (consisting of Puget Sound and the Straits of Juan de Fuca and Georgia) receives inputs from many different sources (rivers, wastewater treatment plants, industrial waste treatment facilities, etc.), making these coastal waters vulnerable to acidification. Moreover, the lowering of pH in the Northeast Pacific Ocean also affects the Salish Sea, as …

The Story So Far: An In Situ Pairing Of Chemical Oceanography And Physiology, Helen Gurney-Smith, Kayla Mohns, Caitlin Smith, Tamara Brown, Brenna Collicutt, Anne Haegert, Wiley Evans

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Climate change is a pressing environmental concern, and understanding how abiotic variation contributes to population dynamics and persistence may ultimately predict the fates of species. Ocean acidification negatively impacts a range of species, including those using calcium carbonate for shell formation such as shellfish, which are important as ecosystem engineers and for food security. While much is known about carbonate chemistry and impacts of ocean acidification on the U.S. Pacific coast, there is limited regional information in British Columbia (BC), especially in socio-economically important coastal zones for aquaculture and migrating fisheries populations. Laboratory experimentation mimicking future climate scenarios provide valuable …

Results From The Baynes Sound Environmental Intelligence Collaboration (Baseic), Wiley Evans, Darlene Winterburn, Katie Pocock, Carrie Weekes, Alex Hare

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Baynes Sound, in the northern Salish Sea, hosts more than 50% of the BC shellfish aquaculture industry, with Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) as the dominant production species. The known vulnerability of this species to ocean acidification (OA)-driven changes in seawater chemistry – specifically through alteration in calcium carbonate (CaCO3) mineral stability, combined with periodic production problems in Baynes Sound – have led to a growing concern regarding possible contemporaneous impacts of OA in spite of lacking environmental intelligence detailing baseline conditions. In order to build our understanding of current biogeochemical patterns in this key Salish Sea setting, the BC Shellfish …

Patterns And Variability In Ocean Acidification Conditions In Puget Sound And The Strait Of Juan De Fuca, J. A. (Jan A.) Newton, Simone Alin, Beth Curry, Adrienne J. Sutton, John Mickett, Richard A. Feely, Marine Lebrec, Dana Greeley, Wendi Ruef, Andrea Fassbender, Terrie Klinger

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Washington Ocean Acidification Center is working with NOAA and other partners to increase understanding of ocean acidification dynamics and spatial variability in the Salish Sea, and how these correlate with planktonic responses. These data are critical for assessing water quality, areas with higher or lower OA stress, and to understand effects on the food web. Two main strategies are employed; seasonal ship cruises provide spatial coverage and the ability to collect plankton, while mooring buoys provide information on mechanisms and the range of variation due to the high-resolution and constant coverage they provide. Results show a strong degree of …

Does Eelgrass Act As An Ocean Acidification Refuge For Shellfish In The Salish Sea?, Bonnie Becker, Michelle Mccartha, Micah Horwith

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Marine waters worldwide are becoming more acidic due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Changes in pH are heterogeneous in space and time and can be affected by physical and biological processes, including photosynthesis and respiration of plants and animals. Previous studies have shown that seagrass beds, which contain a large amount of plant biomass, can alter the carbonate chemistry in the immediate area, with higher pH during the day and lower pH at night. We explored the effects of this pattern on bivalve shellfish at four sites in Puget Sound and Willapa Bay. Pumped water samples were taken at …

Experimental Impacts Of Climate Warming And Ocean Carbonation On Eelgrass Zostera Marina, Richard C. Zimmerman, Victoria J. Hill, Malee Jinuntuya, Billur Celebi, David Ruble, Miranda Smith, Tiffany Cedeno, W. Mark Swingle

OES Faculty Publications

CO₂ is a critical and potentially limiting substrate for photosynthesis of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In addition to being a climate-warming greenhouse gas, increasing concentrations of CO₂ will dissolve in the oceans, eliciting both negative and positive responses among organisms in a process commonly known as ocean acidification. The dissolution of CO₂ into ocean surface waters, however, also increases its availability for photosynthesis, to which the highly successful, and ecologically important, seagrasses respond positively. Thus, the process might be more accurately characterized as ocean carbonation. This experiment demonstrated that CO₂ stimulation of primary production enhances …

Rapid Adaptive Responses To Climate Change In Corals, Gergely Torda, Jennifer M. Donelson, Manuel Aranda, Daniel J. Barshis, Line Bay, Michael L. Berumen, David G. Bourne, Neal Cantin, Sylvain Foret, Mikhail Matz

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Pivotal to projecting the fate of coral reefs is the capacity of reef-building corals to acclimatize and adapt to climate change. Transgenerational plasticity may enable some marine organisms to acclimatize over several generations and it has been hypothesized that epigenetic processes and microbial associations might facilitate adaptive responses. However, current evidence is equivocal and understanding of the underlying processes is limited. Here, we discuss prospects for observing transgenerational plasticity in corals and the mechanisms that could enable adaptive plasticity in the coral holobiont, including the potential role of epigenetics and coral-associated microbes. Well-designed and strictly controlled experiments are needed to …

Predicting The Impact Of Future Climate On Ecologically Important Macroalgae, Charlie Phelps

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Macroalgae play an important role in coastal reef systems and are often referred to as ecosystem engineers. They serve as primary producers, supporting a diverse range of organisms, and are a sink for atmospheric CO2. Water acidification and ocean warming caused by anthropogenic activities are affecting many marine flora and fauna, potentially impacting the physical and chemical performance of macroalgae and the consumption rates of associated herbivores. Many studies have focused on ocean acidification or ocean warming individually but there is an overall lack of research investigating the combined effects and the ensuing repercussions on consumer-prey relationships.

Three species of …