Marine Sciences

Stephanie Dutkiewicz

MIT

Phytoplankton responses to a warming world

Phytoplankton comprise an incredibly diverse set of microscopic organisms that photosynthesize, forming the base of marine food webs and playing a crucial role in Earth’s carbon cycle. We will explore how a warming climate might impact phytoplankton productivity, community composition and ocean color. Satellite observations have revealed trends in ocean color over the past two decades, suggesting significant changes in marine plankton. Understanding these changes and predicting their future trajectory is challenging since there are many environmental factors at play. We employ mechanistic computer models to investigate how these environmental changes separately and together might affect global phytoplankton productivity regionally and globally. Our marine ecosystem model, which includes a range of sizes and types of phytoplankton, shows that shifts in competitive dynamics could lead to substantial changes in community structure and the development of new ecological regions, especially those dominated by smaller phytoplankton. These changes may serve as early indicators of broader oceanic transformations. Our findings underscore the need for a better understanding of the factors influencing phytoplankton growth and loss, as well as the limitations of current models. 

Host: Heidi Dierssen
Time & Date: 11:00 am, Friday, November 8, 2024
Place: Lowell Weicker Building, Seminar Room 103 (or WebEx)

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Cancellation & Additional Seminar Details

If you are an individual with a disability and need accommodations, please contact 860-405-9152 or email marinesciencesseminars@uconn.edu.

This is an Honors Event. See tags below for categories. #UHLevent10972

https://marinesciences.uconn.edu/seminar/brownbag1248/

Please email Katie for the link to join online.

Speciation, Partitioning, and Transport of Hg from the Penobscot River to the Gulf of Maine

Oceanography

Tim O’Donnell

Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute Inc.

Using eDNA to support fisheries assessment and conservation in Massachusetts 

Sustainable fisheries management relies on monitoring surveys that accurately represent fish stock abundance, distribution, and dynamics, especially among shifting ocean conditions. Environmental DNA (eDNA) measures genetic material shed by an organism into the surrounding water, revolutionizing our ability to identify the presence and distribution of aquatic organisms. eDNA metabarcoding can monitor populations across broad spatiotemporal scales and be conducted in any habitat, which could help fill data gaps created by gear bias or habitat restrictions associated with traditional fisheries surveys. We conducted eDNA metabarcoding in conjunction with ongoing monitoring surveys to fill data gaps for coastal fish populations in Massachusetts waters. Additionally, we established a vertebrate eDNA metabarcoding survey from May-November 2023 at 40 sites within three southern New England offshore wind lease areas where deploying traditional fisheries gear is challenging to understand the impact of offshore wind construction on the biodiversity and distribution of fisheries species. For each project, one liter of water was collected at each site and filtered using 1 um cellulose nitrate filters. DNA was extracted using the Qiagen PowerSoil Pro kit and metabarcoding was performed using 12S V5 primers to target vertebrates. Results indicate that eDNA serves as a powerful monitoring tool, revealing hidden patterns in fish distributions and biodiversity that would otherwise go undetected when relying only on traditional surveys. These efforts build the foundation for integrating eDNA sampling and analysis into fisheries monitoring, allowing us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of marine fisheries and the impact of anthropogenic activities on them.

Host: Hannes Baumann
Time & Date: 11:00 am, Friday, November 15, 2024
Place: Lowell Weicker Building, Seminar Room 103 (or WebEx)

Request Seminar Information

Cancellation & Additional Seminar Details

If you are an individual with a disability and need accommodations, please contact 860-405-9152 or email marinesciencesseminars@uconn.edu.

This is an Honors Event. See tags below for categories. #UHLevent10974