A window to the future: using natural CO2 analogues to predict species responses to a changing ocean

Marine Climate Change (Ravasi) Unit would like to invite you to the online seminar by Dr. Davide Spatafora on December 12 (Thursday).
 
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Date:   December 12, 2024
Time:  16:00-17:00
Venue: via Zoom

Zoom link:
https://oist.zoom.us/j/91051479997?pwd=62UOOV6ni6FD9UsD4bXaqkdH7TTNFI.1
Meeting ID: 910 5147 9997
Passcode: 848130

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Speaker:

Dr. Davide Spatafora
Integrative Marine Ecology Department
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Palermo, Italy

Title:

A window to the future: using natural CO₂ analogues to predict species responses to a changing ocean

Abstract:

Natural analogues are characterized by temporal and spatial environmental fluctuations and are home to pre-adapted ‘biodiversity’ (e.g., organisms chronically exposed to high CO₂ conditions). Therefore, these spots provide a unique opportunity to investigate the ability of organisms to acclimate or adapt to future ocean conditions, while also representing incubators of promising nature-based solutions to climate change. Here, we reported some in situ experiments carried out in a temperate natural CO₂ vent system (Vulcano Island Southern Italy) and in the semi enclosed bay Nikko Bay (Palau) to assess fish molecular (gene expression) and behavioural (anti-predatory, reproductive and habitat use) adaptation and/or acclimatization to projected ocean acidification conditions. The responses of fish species, characterized by a limited home range, have been investigated in fish from low-pH/high pCO₂ sites and fish from control sites as well as fish reciprocally transplanted between the different CO₂ sites. Overall, these studies will contribute towards understanding the potential resilience of fish under future ocean conditions. Furthermore, I also present a recent study in collaboration with the “Two frontiers project”, where a novel cyanobacterial strain was isolated from the shallow volcanic seeps of Vulcano Island that has physiological characteristics that make it a new model for high-efficiency carbon sequestration.

Biogeography:

Davide is currently a researcher in marine ecology and conservation at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn for the PNRR Project: National Biodiversity Future Center.
Davide’s research interests focus on assessing the conservation status of fish communities and their potential responses to climate changes and ocean acidification. During his PhD (University of Palermo, Italy) and his post-doc position (Shimoda Marine Research Centre, Tsukuba University), he has been particularly interested in predicting the potential for fish behavioural, physiological and molecular local adaptation to projected future ocean conditions at natural analogue of climate change.

Host:
Prof. Timothy Ravasi