The MSCA Fellowhip Future4Oceans lasted 2 years (2016-2018) and comprised the outgoing phase at Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University (USA, Partner organization). In addition, field surveys were conducted at the CO2 vents along the coast off Ischia (Italy), with permanent communication and contact with the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (Beneficiary).
Our project combined field sampling and experimental research (WP1), Analysis and Synthesis of data (WP2), Dissemination of results (WP3) and Management (WP4). Field surveys were performed during 2017 and 2018 at the CO2 vents along the coast of Ischia (Italy). We investigated the effect of natural CO2 vents to benthic communities and the role of acclimation/adaptation in determining responses to OA with the coral Astroides calycularis. Field surveys were done at the CO2 vents, as well as nearby reference areas with normal pH. The environmental conditions at the CO2 vents represent different atmospheric scenarios for the 21st century predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. We conducted intensive field surveys to characterize the physical and chemical variability of these systems. We deployed in situ sensors coupled with discrete water samples for carbonate chemistry analyses. The overall impact of acidification to benthic communities was assessed by using in situ visual census techniques and photographic surveys. Species and % cover data was analyzed by using a trait-functional approach. This approach provides new insights into the mechanisms of biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning. For the role of acclimation/adaptation, we performed a reciprocal transplant experiments over one year. We transplanted coral colonies of A. calycularis reciprocally from their native locations in the acidified and 2 pH normal sites. We measured differences in coral size, physiology (e.g. necrosis of coral tissue, mineralogy, porosity of skeleton and fecundity) and gene expression by taking digital images of colonies and collecting 5 transplanted colonies from each site. The molecular responses were measured using next generation sequencing technology. This technique allows us to have an overview of the whole transcriptomic response of coral to ocean acidification. We estimated gene expression and genetic variation of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs).
We have disseminated our results to a wide range of different audience and nationalities. Academically, we have presented our work at the host (Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Italy) and partner institutions (Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, USA) as well as at other academic institutions such as Institute of Marine Sciences of Barcelona (ICM-CSIC, Spain). During the fellowship, we have presented our results at the Gordon Research Conference (Ocean Global Change Biology, Waterville Valley, USA, 2018) and at the EuroScience Open Forum (Toulouse, France, 2018). We have published one peer-reviewed research article at the open access Nature Communications journal with codes and data available on-line (2018). We have four research articles currently in preparation. In addition, we have disseminated our findings by writing in social media (Twitter), “Behind the Paper” channel (a community from Nature Research), newsletters of the OA-International Coordination Center, and news at Stanford University together with the Stanford Center for Oceans Solutions. In addition, virtual reality films will be exhibited during the “2019 Monaco Ocean Week” at the Monaco Museum to communicate OA impacts to the general public.
