University of Tasmania, Australia

Mapping structural and genetic changes in Southern Ocean pteropods due to ocean acidification.

Level: PhD Project

Degradation in pteropod mechanical integrity will have cascading biological and ecological implications, such as the weakening of body support systems and an increase in susceptibility to external forces including physical disturbances and predation. The student will assess the impact of changing chemistry on these marine calcifiers within a team of scientists with expertise across the disciplines of biology, materials science, engineering, geology and physical oceanography. The influence of increasing acidity on the structural integrity of these calcifying marine organisms will be examined, alongside obtaining molecular genetic data on their shell production.

The proposed work will lead to a clearer understanding of the impacts of ocean acidification on pteropods, which have great biological importance in the ocean carbon cycle and at the base of the Southern Ocean food chain. The aim is to understand the structural and composite make-up of pteropods at both the genetic and mineralogical levels, examine the influence on the organic components of the mechanical strength of pteropods, conduct mechanical modelling of critical organic/calcium carbonate systems and determine the relative impact to date of ocean acidification on Southern Ocean pteropods.

Nominal Coordinator: Donna Roberts

Supervisors: Dr Donna Roberts (ACE CRC-Australia), Dr David Ferrier (St Andrews University-Scotland), Dr Tony Press (ACE CRC-Australia) and Dr Jodie Bradby (ANU-Australia).