Award Abstract # 1316198
RUI: Ocean Acidification: Scope for Resilience to Ocean Acidification in Macroalgae

NSF Org: OCE
Division Of Ocean Sciences
Recipient: THE UNIVERSITY CORPORATION
Initial Amendment Date: May 9, 2013
Latest Amendment Date: May 9, 2013
Award Number: 1316198
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: David Garrison
OCE
 Division Of Ocean Sciences
GEO
 Directorate For Geosciences
Start Date: June 1, 2013
End Date: May 31, 2017 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $690,641.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $690,641.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2013 = $690,641.00
History of Investigator:
  • Janet Kubler (Principal Investigator)
    janet.kubler@csun.edu
  • Steven Dudgeon (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: The University Corporation, Northridge
18111 NORDHOFF ST
NORTHRIDGE
CA  US  91330-0001
(818)677-1403
Sponsor Congressional District: 32
Primary Place of Performance: California State University - Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge
CA  US  91330-8303
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
32
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): LAGNHMC58DF3
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): CRI-Ocean Acidification
Primary Program Source: 01001314DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 1382, 9229
Program Element Code(s): 8001
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

Intellectual Merit

Benthic macroalgae contribute to intensely productive near shore ecosystems and little is known about the potential effects of ocean acidification on non-calcifying macroalgae. Kübler and Dudgeon will test hypotheses about two macroalgae, Ulva spp. and Plocamium cartilagineum, which, for different reasons, are hypothesized to be more productive and undergo ecological expansions under predicted changes in ocean chemistry. They have designed laboratory culture-based experiments to quantify the scope for response to ocean acidification in Plocamium, which relies solely on diffusive uptake of CO2, and populations of Ulva spp., which have an inducible concentrating mechanism (CCM). The investigators will culture these algae in media equilibrated at 8 different pCO2 levels ranging from 380 to 940 ppm to address three key hypotheses. The first is that macroalgae (such as Plocamium cartilagineum) that are not able to acquire inorganic carbon in changed form will benefit, in terms of photosynthetic and growth rates, from ocean acidification. There is little existing data to support this common assumption. The second hypothesis is that enhanced growth of Ulva sp. under OA will result from the energetic savings from down regulating the CCM, rather than from enhanced photosynthesis per se. Their approach will detect existing genetic variation for adaptive plasticity. The third key hypothesis to be addressed in short-term culture experiments is that there will be a significant interaction between ocean acidification and nitrogen limited growth of Ulva spp., which are indicator species of eutrophication. Kübler and Dudgeon will be able to quantify the individual effects of ocean acidification and nitrogenous nutrient addition on Ulva spp. and also, the synergistic effects, which will inevitably apply in many highly productive, shallow coastal areas. The three hypotheses being addressed have been broadly identified as urgent needs in our growing understanding of the impacts of ocean acidification.

Broader Impacts
This project has broader impacts in 2 major areas: the dissemination of biological knowledge to applied science and nonscientists, and inspiring careers in science among underrepresented minority students. The investigators are committed to facilitating the transfer of biological information to nonscientists who can put that information to practical use in human technologies. The lead PI is actively involved with transfer of biological knowledge to professionals in engineering, design and architecture, through her work with the Biomimicry 3.8. That is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding the conscious emulation of nature's genius through formal and informal education. The research results will be made accessible to nonscientists through the AskNature.org database for nonbiologist design professionals and through CSUN ScholarWorks-a database management system. The results of this project will be relevant to resilience to changing chemistry and evolvable designs. The research will also build on the investigators existing collaborations with private sector partners. JEK with will continue collaborations with The BID (Biologically Inspired Design) Community on biological resilience and robustness in systems with the goal of applying aspects of the knowledge gained here to systems of human technology, and SRD will continue collaboration with K. Jones of Gene Identification Services. CSUN is a certified minority serving and Hispanic serving, primarily undergraduate, institution with an outstanding record of moving students into careers in science. Kübler and Dudgeon will mentor 2 graduate students and 2-3 undergraduate students, from CSUN?s diverse student population, in macroalgal physiology and ecology with the goal of addressing global and ecosystem level issues. The PIs have a record of 100% of recruited MSc. students continuing to Ph.D. programs. All of the PI?s graduate students are expected to do some community service or educational outreach, usually to K-12 schools.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Andersson, A.J., D.I. Kline, P.J. Edmunds, S.D. Archer, N. Bednar?ek, R.C. Carpenter, M. Chadsey, P. Goldstein, A.G. Grottoli, T.P. Hurst, A.L. King, J.E. Kübler, I.B. Kuffner, K.R.M. Mackey, A. Paytan, B.A. Menge, U. Riebesell, A. Schnetzer, M.E. Warner, "Understanding ocean acidification impacts on organismal to ecological scales" Oceanography , v.28 , 2015 , p.http://dx
Kübler, J. E. & Dudgeon, S.R. "Predicting Effects of Ocean Acidification and Warming on Algae Lacking Carbon Concentrating Mechanisms" PLoS ONE , 2015
Dudgeon, S. R., J. E. Kübler, J. West, M. Kamiya, and S. Krueger-Hadfield "Asexuality and the cryptic species problem" Perspectives in Phycology. , v.4 , 2017 , p.47 DOI: 10.1127/pip/2017/0070
Reidenbach LB, Fernandez PA, Leal PP, Noisette F, McGraw CM, Revill AT, Hurd, C. & Kübler, JE. "Growth, ammonium metabolism, and photosynthetic properties of Ulva australis (Chlorophyta) under decreasing pH and ammonium enrichment." PLoS ONE , v.12 , 2017 , p.e0188389 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0188389

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

Janet Kübler and Steve Dudgeon and their students performed experiments using artificially mixed atmospheres, temperatures and nutrient additions that mimic scenarios expected to be common as the climate changes. Ocean acidification happens as more carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolves in ocean water.

 The focus of the work was to assess the impacts of ocean acidification on the algae that are likely to be most positively affected, under the conditions that are mostly likely to stimulate macroalgal blooms. There were three main categories thereof. First, are species that have no mechanisms to take up charged forms of CO2 from the water and may currently have their growth limited by carbon supply. Second, are species that may have energetic savings when the pH is lower and may grow faster at lower pH.  Third, species that accumulate under eutrophic conditions that may grow even faster when pH is low and nutrient concentrations are high, as is expected in most coastal waters in the near future.

They found that hypothesized positive effects of ocean acidification were often small, and decreased over the duration of longer experiments. Very high carbon dioxide concentrations, expected for the end of the 21st century, were actually detrimental to the growth of seaweeds. At carbon dioxide concentrations expected by the middle of the century, algal growth rates were stimulated directly.

Ocean acidification affected growth rates under stress conditions but not when the algae were already growing quickly.  In a sense, the added carbon dioxide acted as a supplement to rescue growth under otherwise stressful conditions. That result suggests that ocean acidification may allow macroalgal blooms to initiate and to persist longer than they would if there was not more carbon dioxide dissolved in the ocean.

The sea lettuce, Ulva was found to adjust its metabolism to more efficiently take up the abundant carbon dioxide in the water under ocean acidification.  Ulva from different locations differed in their responses to ocean acidification. That suggests that some local populations will expand and others will decline as the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the ocean increases.

Nitrogen and warming had much larger effects on macroalgal growth rates than ocean acidification did. Increasing temperatures and increasing coastal nutrient concentrations are bigger challenges for macroalgal populations than is ocean acidification. But, those challenges will be occurring together as the entire atmosphere and ocean has increasing carbon dioxide concentrations.

Overall, coastal conditions expected in the coming few decades, will favor the growth of macroalgae, compared to current conditions. Exactly how much, will depend on complex interactions between many environmental variables. Data from this project are being made available through the Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office, under project number 2275.

The project provided training for two Masters degree graduate students, three undergraduate students and one research technician. Two of three undergraduate students are from background traditionally under-represented in the sciences. One graduate student has matriculated in a doctoral program, the other student is working in the aquarium industry. Impacts of the work beyond publications to the scientific community and student training include K-12 educational outreach in local public schools in the San Fernando Valley and communication with shellfish growers and the seaweed aquaculture industry about ocean acidification and impacts and opportunities with macroalgae in commercial settings.

 


Last Modified: 02/13/2018
Modified by: Steven R Dudgeon

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