Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science - University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Transcription

1 Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science - University of Gothenburg, Sweden Alexander Ventura CeMEB Advanced Course, 2014: Marine evolution under climate change 30 November - 7 December 2014, Kristineberg (Fiskebäckskil), Sweden UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG

2 Academic background M.Sc. In Marine Biology: School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor. Thesis: a laboratory investigation of predation of the Chilean oyster (Tiostrea chilensis) by the common starfish (Asterias rubens) in the Menai Strait (North Wales, UK) B.Sc. In Biological Sciences: University of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

3 Working experience Traineeship: Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES), European Commission - Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy. Job focus: research on aquatic invasive species Research assistant: School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor. Job focus: culturing crustacean larvae.

4 PhD project TITLE: Assessing adaptation potential and selection of resilient strains AIMS: Assess acclimation and adaptation potential in the face of ocean acidification (OA) in commercially exploited bivalves in Europe. Select tolerant lines for aquaculture.

5 PhD project CACHE (Calcium in a Changing Environment): 4 year Marie Curie Initial Training Network 10 partners, 6 EU countries, 3 SMEs and a shellfish consultancy 10 PhD students and 4 post-doctoral researchers AIM: understand calcium regulation and shell production in commercially important bivalves

6 PhD project Place of employment: University of Gothenburg (Sweden), Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Supervisor: Dr. Sam Dupont Co-supervisor: Dr. Frank Melzner (Leibniz- Institute of Marine Sciences)

7 Background

8 APPROACH QUESTIONS AIM Investigate potential adaptation/acclimation to OA How do different populations and/or individuals respond to OA stress? Why different responses? Can resilient strains be selected for aquaculture? Fully-crossed genetic design Quantitave genetics, RNA-Seq & physiology Selection trials POP. A POP. B

9 Experimental design

10 Methods & tools

11 Resilient lines for aquaculture Resilient lines will be selected and isolated. Their performance will be assessed through long term exposure to elevated pco2 till sexual maturation.

12 Population control, selecting those who will breed (Death Genetic reconstruction)

13 Preliminary work and training Culturing trials: Aim: effect of OA on larval development of Mytilus edulis and tipping points. Approach: culturing larvae at five different phs (8.1, 7.85, 7.6, 7.35 and 7.1). Training outcome: spawning, fertilization and larval culturing of M. edulis; analyses of OA impacts.

14

15 Collaboration with Hatfield Marine Science Centre (Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon): Aim: analysis of impacts of OA stress on expression pattern of genes involved in shell formation in Crassostrea gigas. Approach:18 hour larval culcturing in control and high pco2 environments; sample collection for gene expression analyses. Training outcome: strip spawning of C. gigas, larval rearing, sample preservation for molecular analyses (RNA-Seq).

16 OUTPUT TEACH. LAB FIELD WORK LIT. TRAINING Larval culturing PhD Courses YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 Backgorund: OA and species of interest M. edulis Molecular techniques PhD courses M. edulis Quantitative genetics RNA-Seq PhD courses C. gigas PhD courses P. maximus Collection of M. edulis (different populations) Collection of C. gigas (different pop.) Collection of P. maximus (different pop.) To be determined M. edulis larval development under OA stress and tipping points M. edulis: differences between populations and selection experiments Like year2 using C. gigas Like year 3 using P. maximus Paper: M. edulis larval development under OA stress and tipping points Paper: Adaptation potential of M. edulis to OA Paper: Adaptation potential of C. gigas to OA Paper: Adaptation potential of P. maximus to OA THESIS

17 Thank you for listening!