Genetic and phenotypic response of larval American lobster to ocean warming and acidification across New England’s steep thermal gradient
Funding agency: Sea Grant
Investigators:
Richard A. Wahle, University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences
David M. Fields, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Graduate Student Investigators:
Maura Niemisto, University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences
The input of anthropogenic carbon into the atmosphere has caused large scale ocean warming and acidification (OA) that has important implications for commercial fisheries in the Northeastern United States. The Gulf of Maine (GOM), in particular, is warming faster than 99.9% of the world ocean. Little is known about the consequences of ocean acidification on marine crustaceans. This study aims to increase our understanding of the response of the lobster’s most vulnerable early life stages to warming and acidification across New England’s steep north-south thermal gradient. Here we evaluated the interactive effects of ocean acidification and temperature on lobster larval development, physiology and gene expression. The study also aimed to determine whether larvae from southern subpopulations are more resistant than larvae from northern populations to elevated temperature and pCO2.