SEMINAR: MBF602 Carolyn Margolin Friday 4-8-11, 2 pm S/A 103

["Carolyn Leigh Margolin" <cmargolin@rsmas.miami.edu>]

Interactive Effects of Light, Flow, and Ocean Acidification on Tubastraea
coccinea

As the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere continues to rise and the ocean?s
pH and aragonite saturation state drop accordingly, it is imperative that
we understand not only how changing ocean chemistry alone will influence
the growth of reef building species, but also how other physical factors
will interact with these changes.  A series of laboratory studies examined
the effects of multiple combinations of pH, water flow rates, and light
levels on a variety of growth parameters for zooxanthellate and
azooxanthellate corals, as well as zooxanthellae bearing anemones.  This
study highlighted the importance of examining interacting conditions
rather than averaging effects over a wide range of conditions.  The
results from the most recent experiment on Tubastraea coccinea, an
azooxanthellate coral, will be presented. While changing water chemistry
alone did not appear to have significant impacts on the growth of this
species when averaged over multiple experimental treatments, when the
effects of changing water chemistry were examined in interaction with
other physical factors, differences in their combined impacts could be
seen.  Although rarely significant, water flow rate does appear to
influence the way that changing water chemistry impacts this species.  The
greatest negative impacts of acidification on growth appeared under low
flow conditions, while corals experiencing flow rates of 15cm/s showed no
significant impact of acidification on the parameters measured.  A general
trend of increase growth with increased water flow was indicated for this
species under acidified conditions.  Light did not appear to play a
significant role in altering the effects of acidification on this species,
which was not surprising due to the azooxanthellate nature of Tubastraea
coccinea.




Carolyn Margolin
Advised by: Peter W. Glynn
Cornell University B.S. Biology 2001
Entered University of Miami Ph.D. Program Fall 2003



-- 
Carolyn Margolin
Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries
Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, FL   33149
Phone: (305)421-4297
Fax: (305)421-9306
cmargolin@rsmas.miami.edu


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