++Turning the tide +
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+Chris Mantegna, ’21, is studying how pollutants affect shellfish in our food web — and training a new generation of marine scientists.
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+ https://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/posts/frontpage/lspencer-cod/index.html
+ Fri, 08 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT
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Exploring Pacific Cod Resilience in a Warming Ocean
Laura Spencer
- https://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/posts/frontpage/lspencer-cod/index.html
+ https://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/posts/frontpage/sr320-boundless/index.html
In our latest update on the Pacific cod juvenile temperature study, we've gained deeper insights into how these remarkable fish respond to different temperatures. This research is part of a larger effort to understand the resilience of marine species in changing environments.
cod
Alaska
- https://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/posts/frontpage/lspencer-cod/index.html
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Unraveling the Intricacies of Enrichment Analysis
- https://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/posts/frontpage/sr320-enrich/index.html
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methods
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- https://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/posts/frontpage/sr320-enrich/index.html
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Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT
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Insights from Pacific Oysters in a Heating Ocean
- https://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/posts/sr320-DM/index.html
- In a recent commentary by Donal T. Manahan, the magnified effects of marine heatwaves on the mortality of triploid Pacific oysters have been thrust into the spotlight, underscoring the urgent need for deeper understanding of marine life’s tolerance to heat stress. Manahan’s piece, a commentary our recent work led by Matt George, delves into the realm where climate change meets marine biology and aquaculture.
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- https://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/posts/sr320-DM/index.html
- Sat, 04 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT
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On a windy June afternoon, Chris Mantegna, ’21, encourages a half-dozen undergraduates to flip over barnacle-studded rocks and sift through seaweed. Equipped with clipboards to record their findings, they’re creating a snapshot of the organisms in the island’s intertidal zone — from orange sea cucumbers to the camouflaged armored mollusks called chitons.
+Mantegna, a third-year graduate student in aquatic and fishery sciences, has spent the past three summers in Washington’s San Juan Islands, mentoring undergrads here on Yellow Island — a pristine 11-acre nature preserve owned by the Nature Conservancy. She created this eight-week program for students to get their hands dirty in the field and learn cutting-edge lab techniques at the UW Friday Harbor Laboratories — where she had a transformational research experience herself as a Husky undergrad.
+This mentorship program reflects Mantegna’s passion both for advancing the science and for making it more inclusive and accessible to others. Her face lights up when she spots a small chiton (her favorite) clinging to the bottom of a rock, and she invites others to feel the mollusk’s tough plated back. Even Mantegna’s doctoral work — examining the genetic response of shellfish to contaminants in Puget Sound waterways — has a focus on community outreach and environmental literacy.
+ +Mantegna says we have a better chance at fighting climate change when everyone — scientists and community members — feels connected to their environment and each other. “I can tell you that the ocean is dying or that we have too much acidification,” says Mantegna, a U.S. Navy veteran who is the first in her family to graduate from college. “But it doesn’t matter if you’ve never had the chance to feel the joy that comes from this place.”
+Finish feature here.
+ + + + + + ]]> +Genetic Insights Reveal Population Origins
We began with genetic analyses, using data from thousands of genetic markers to determine the origin of our experimental fish. All our test fish were linked to the spawning grounds in the western Gulf of Alaska (wGOA) and the Eastern Bering Sea (EBS). This finding allows us to focus on the thermal resilience of cod from this particular region, which is vital as they face shifts in temperature in their natural habitats.
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Temperature's Role in Energy and Lipid Storage
Our collaborator Louise Copement analyzed liver lipids in these juvenile cod, focusing on triglycerides and other key lipid types that are crucial for overwinter survival. The results showed a clear trend: energy storage, primarily in the form of triglycerides, peaked at 9°C, then dropped sharply at higher temperatures, especially at 16°C. This suggests that extreme warmth could deplete essential energy reserves, reducing the fish's survival prospects in the cold winter months.
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Optimal Growth Temperatures and Physiological Responses
We also observed that juvenile cod exhibit optimal growth at approximately 12.3°C, slightly higher than previous findings. With higher temperatures, growth rates plateau or decline, mirroring the energy storage patterns. Interestingly, the gene expression data from liver tissues revealed significant temperature-driven shifts, especially in energy production, lipid metabolism, and immune response genes. This molecular data adds a new layer to our understanding of temperature tolerance.
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Integrated Data: A Pathway to Genomic Resilience Markers
Combining growth, lipid, and gene expression data, we've started identifying genes that correlate with enhanced resilience at specific temperatures. This approach could spotlight genetic markers for thermal resilience, offering clues about cod populations best suited to future ocean conditions.
In summary, this research underscores the delicate balance juvenile Pacific cod must maintain in their energy reserves and growth under variable temperatures. These findings will help guide conservation and management efforts as we work to protect Pacific cod populations in a warming world.
@@ -41,7 +68,7 @@ ]]>The Rising Heat and Its Victims
-The context is alarming: with ocean temperatures breaking records and coastal heatwaves causing mass marine mortality, researchers like Manahan stress the importance of grasping how different organisms will survive in this changing environment. The Pacific Northwest, as noted by White et al. (2023), has witnessed temperatures soaring to nearly 50°C, resulting in the death of over a million bivalve mussels in a mere 100-meter stretch.
-The Pacific Oyster at the Heart of Study
-Matt’s study, referenced by Manahan, brings under scrutiny the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, an organism of commercial significance and genetic interest. Their work dissects the responses of diploid and triploid oysters to heatwaves, revealing that the mortality rate among triploid oysters was 2.5 times higher than their diploid counterparts.
-A Triploid Dilemma
-Triploid oysters, engineered for their superior growth and yield, seem to face greater peril under thermal stress. Manahan points out that these oysters show signs of metabolic depression, reduced ATP production, and a slump in essential biological processes like glucose metabolism and immunity responses. This finding poses serious implications for aquaculture, as triploids are widely cultivated for food production.
-The Challenge of Predicting Phenotypes
-Manahan underscores a crucial challenge in marine biology: the prediction of phenotypes from gene expression. The commentary reflects on how data from different biological levels may not always align, and he calls for a cautious interpretation of such analyses. Integrative approaches are necessary for a comprehensive understanding of how organisms function and respond to environmental stress.
-Energy Allocation and the Cost of Reproduction
-The commentary also touches upon the energetic cost of being a triploid organism. With triploids being functionally sterile, Manahan questions whether there’s an unaccounted metabolic cost involved in maintaining redundant biosynthetic pathways.
-A Path Forward
-Manahan highlights the value of multi-year, trans-generational breeding programs and commends the collaborative efforts exemplified by the team behind our study. Such partnerships across universities, governments, and industry are vital for sustained research and for breeding marine species that can withstand the pressures of climate change.
-In summary, Manahan’s commentary not only sheds light on the specific challenges faced by triploid Pacific oysters under heat stress but also casts a wider net on the complexities of studying marine life’s response to a warming world. The findings are a crucial piece of the puzzle in our pursuit of sustainable “Blue Food” production and the broader understanding of marine ecosystem resilience.
-Citation: Manahan, D. T. (2023). Marine heatwaves impact mortality of triploid Pacific oysters. Global Change Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16980
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+In our latest update on the Pacific cod juvenile temperature study, we've gained deeper insights into how these remarkable fish respond to different temperatures. This research is part of a larger effort to understand the resilience of marine species in changing environments.
+Genetic Insights Reveal Population Origins
+We began with genetic analyses, using data from thousands of genetic markers to determine the origin of our experimental fish. All our test fish were linked to the spawning grounds in the western Gulf of Alaska (wGOA) and the Eastern Bering Sea (EBS). This finding allows us to focus on the thermal resilience of cod from this particular region, which is vital as they face shifts in temperature in their natural habitats.
+
Temperature's Role in Energy and Lipid Storage
+Our collaborator Louise Copement analyzed liver lipids in these juvenile cod, focusing on triglycerides and other key lipid types that are crucial for overwinter survival. The results showed a clear trend: energy storage, primarily in the form of triglycerides, peaked at 9°C, then dropped sharply at higher temperatures, especially at 16°C. This suggests that extreme warmth could deplete essential energy reserves, reducing the fish's survival prospects in the cold winter months.
+
Optimal Growth Temperatures and Physiological Responses
+We also observed that juvenile cod exhibit optimal growth at approximately 12.3°C, slightly higher than previous findings. With higher temperatures, growth rates plateau or decline, mirroring the energy storage patterns. Interestingly, the gene expression data from liver tissues revealed significant temperature-driven shifts, especially in energy production, lipid metabolism, and immune response genes. This molecular data adds a new layer to our understanding of temperature tolerance.
+
Integrated Data: A Pathway to Genomic Resilience Markers
+Combining growth, lipid, and gene expression data, we've started identifying genes that correlate with enhanced resilience at specific temperatures. This approach could spotlight genetic markers for thermal resilience, offering clues about cod populations best suited to future ocean conditions.
+In summary, this research underscores the delicate balance juvenile Pacific cod must maintain in their energy reserves and growth under variable temperatures. These findings will help guide conservation and management efforts as we work to protect Pacific cod populations in a warming world.
+ + + + + +