USAP-DC

The research will investigate the individual and combined effects of rising ocean acidification and sea surface temperatures on shallow-water calcified benthic organisms in western Antarctic Peninsular (WAP) marine communities. The Southern Ocean is predicted to become undersaturated in terms of both aragonite and calcite within 50 and 100 years, respectively, challenging calcification processes. Adding to the problem, antarctic calcified benthic marine organisms are more vulnerable to ocean acidification than temperate and tropical species because they are generally weakly calcified. Many antarctic organisms are essentially stenothermal, and those in the West Antarctic Peninsula are being subjected to rising seawater temperatures. The project employs both single-species and multi-species level approaches to evaluating the impacts of rising ocean acidification and seawater temperature on representative calcified and non-calcified macroalgae, on calcified and non-calcified mesograzers, and on a calcified macro-grazer, all of which are important ecological players in the rich benthic communities. Multi-species analysis will focus on the diverse assemblage of amphipods and mesogastropods that are associated with dominant macroalgae that collectively play a key role in community dynamics along the WAP. The project will support undergraduate research, both through NSF programs, as well as home university-based programs, some designed to enhance the representation of minorities in the sciences. The principal investigators also will support and foster graduate education through mentoring of graduate students. Through their highly successful UAB IN ANTARCTICA interactive web program, they will continue to involve large numbers of teachers, K-12 students, and other members of the community at large in their scientific endeavors in Antarctica.

Person	Role
Angus, Robert	Co-Investigator
Amsler, Charles	Co-Investigator
McClintock, James	Investigator

Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems

Award # 1041022

NSF-ANT10-41022_1

None in the Database

Repository	Title (link)	Format(s)	Status
USAP-DC	The effects of ocean acidification and rising sea surface temperatures on shallow-water benthic organisms in Antarctica	None	exist
USAP-DC	Data from Schram et al. 2017 MEPS	None	exist
USAP-DC	Response time data for snails escaping from predatory sea stars	None	exists

1. Duquette, A., McClintock, J. B., Amsler, C. D., Pérez-Huerta, A., Milazzo, M., & Hall-Spencer, J. M. (2017). Effects of ocean acidification on the shells of four Mediterranean gastropod species near a CO2 seep. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 124(2), 917–928. (doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.08.007)
2. Brothers, C. J., Harianto, J., McClintock, J. B., & Byrne, M. (2016). Sea urchins in a high-CO2 world: the influence of acclimation on the immune response to ocean warming and acidification. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283(1837), 20161501. (doi:10.1098/rspb.2016.1501)
3. Schram, J. B., Schoenrock, K. M., McClintock, J. B., Amsler, C. D., & Angus, R. A. (2014). Multiple stressor effects of near-future elevated seawater temperature and decreased pH on righting and escape behaviors of two common Antarctic gastropods. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 457, 90–96. (doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2014.04.005)
4. Aumack, C. F., Lowe, A. T., Amsler, C. D., Amsler, M. O., McClintock, J. B., & Baker, B. J. (2016). Gut content, fatty acid, and stable isotope analyses reveal dietary sources of macroalgal-associated amphipods along the western Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Biology, 40(7), 1371–1384. (doi:10.1007/s00300-016-2061-4)
5. Brothers, C. J., & McClintock, J. B. (2015). The effects of climate-induced elevated seawater temperature on the covering behavior, righting response, and Aristotle’s lantern reflex of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 467, 33–38. (doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2015.02.019)
6. Schoenrock, K. M., Schram, J. B., Amsler, C. D., McClintock, J. B., Angus, R. A., & Vohra, Y. K. (2016). Climate change confers a potential advantage to fleshy Antarctic crustose macroalgae over calcified species. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 474, 58–66. (doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2015.09.009)
7. McDowell, R. E., Amsler, M. O., Li, Q., Lancaster, J. R., & Amsler, C. D. (2015). The immediate wound-induced oxidative burst of Saccharina latissima depends on light via photosynthetic electron transport. Journal of Phycology, 51(3), 431–441. (doi:10.1111/jpy.12302)
8. Schram, J. B., Amsler, C. D., & McClintock, J. B. (2019). Contrasting chemotactic escape responses of the common Antarctic gastropod Margarella antarctica to four species of sympatric sea stars. Polar Science, 22, 100486. (doi:10.1016/j.polar.2019.100486)
9. Brothers, C. J., & McClintock, J. B. (2018). Sea urchins exposed to near-future elevated seawater temperature alter resource allocation under low-quality food conditions. Marine Biology, 165(3). (doi:10.1007/s00227-018-3301-7)
10. McDowell, R. E., Amsler, C. D., Amsler, M. O., Li, Q., & Lancaster, J. R. (2016). Control of grazing by light availability via light-dependent, wound-induced metabolites: The role of reactive oxygen species. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 477, 86–91. (doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2016.01.011)
11. Schram, J. B., Amsler, M. O., Amsler, C. D., Schoenrock, K. M., McClintock, J. B., & Angus, R. A. (2016). Antarctic crustacean grazer assemblages exhibit resistance following exposure to decreased pH. Marine Biology, 163(5). (doi:10.1007/s00227-016-2894-y)