The Effects of Ocean Acidification on the Physiology of Dominant Antarctic Algal Click to edit Master subtitle style Amelia

Snow Species
Dr. Oscar Schofield and Dr. Grace Saba

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The CO2 Problem

Since 1800s 40% increase Preindustrial= 280 ppm Current= 385ppm 0.5% increase per year 4/24/12

Carbonate chemistry controls pH of seawater atmCO2 = CO32- and pH Decrease by 0.12 pH units and 28% increase in ocean acidity

CO2 projected to double by 2100

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Warming in the West Antarctic Peninsula

Fastest warming location on Earth (winter) Increase of 6oC in past 50 years (>5x the global average)

Increase in ocean heat content 4/24/12 87% of glaciers in retreat

Changes in West Antarctic Peninsula Phytoplankton

1970s-1980s Montes-Hugo et al. 2009 1995-2005

Changes in climate=changes in phytoplankton Warming =chl a by 12% Shift from large to small cells

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Phytoplankton Ocean Acidification

Tortell et al. 2008

Few studies in Ross Sea, Antarctica CO2= relative growth rate and primary productivity

4/24/12 Low CO2-small pennate diatoms

Diatoms
Fragilariopsis cylindrus Chaetoceros atlanticus

v.

Cryptophytes
Geminigera cyrophila

http://www.jgi.doe.gov

http://www.biol.tsukuba. ac.jp http://tolweb.org

15-270 m Single-celled Chain-forming Cell wall made of silica Responsible for 20% of global photosynthesis

<10 m Single-celled Flagellates Correlate with warmer temperatures and lower salinity Increase trend seen in last few years

Responsible for most carbon sequestration 4/24/12 Most trophic carbon transfer

Related to gelatinous salp feeding efficiency Krill cannot feed efficiently on cryptophytes

Objectives and Hypothesis

Objectives:
Compare cell growth and photosynthetic performance of three species of dominant Antarctic algae Cryptophyte-Geminigera cryophila Pennate diatom-Fragilariopsis cylindrus Chain-forming diatom-Chaetoceros atlanticus

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Objectives and Hypothesis

Objectives:
Compare cell growth and photosynthetic performance of three species of dominant Antarctic algae Cryptophyte-Geminigera cryophila Pennate diatom-Fragilariopsis cylindrus Chain-forming diatom-Chaetoceros atlanticus

Hypothesis:

pH will decrease as CO2 increases Diatom abundance and photosynthetic efficiency will increase as CO2 increases Cryptophyte abundance and photosynthetic efficiency will decrease as CO2 increases
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Significance
Phytoplankton are link between lower and higher trophic levels in food web

Drastic changes in phytoplankton result in extreme changes in higher trophic levels

Ultimately could affect carbon cycle

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Experimental Design
CO2 bubbling setup 27 1L bottles 3 replicates of each species 3 treatments 180 ppm 385 ppm 750 ppm Dilution 180 ppm
Geminigera cryophila Fragilariopsis cylindrus Chaetoceros atlanticus
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385 ppm

750 ppm

Experimental Design
Measurements pH (pH probe) Cell count (coulter counter) fv/fm (FIRe)

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Results-pH

pH

Geminigera cryophila Fragilariopsis cylindrus Chaetoceros atlanticus

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Growth Curve-Geminigera cryophila

Cells/mL

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Time (Days)

Growth Curves-Fragilariopsis cylindrus

Cells/mL

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Time (Days)

Growth Curves -Chaetoceros atlanticus

Cells/mL

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Time (Days)

Results-Growth Rates

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180

385

750

Results-Photosynthetic Efficiency

fv/fm

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180

385

750

Conclusions

Geminigera best under ambient conditions and did not survive 750 ppm Fragilariopsis does not vary between pCO2 Chaetoceros more successful under higher CO2 Community structure unknown future

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Further Investigation

1000 ppm Fe Limitation Low vs. High Light Time

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Acknowledgements

Dr. Oscar Schofield Dr. Grace Saba Emily Pirl Dr. Josh Kohut Dr. Scott Glenn Dr. John Reinfelder

George H. Cook Honors Program Rutgers Coastal Ocean Observation Lab Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences

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Questions?

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