| NSF Org: |
EF Emerging Frontiers |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | September 7, 2010 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 11, 2011 |
| Award Number: | 1041124 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
inna sokolova
EF Emerging Frontiers BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2010 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2014 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $367,800.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $367,800.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2011 = $172,114.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1960 KENNY RD COLUMBUS OH US 43210-1016 (614)688-8735 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1960 KENNY RD COLUMBUS OH US 43210-1016 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | CRI-Ocean Acidification |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001112DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.074 |
ABSTRACT
Atmospheric and sea surface CO2 concentrations are expected to continue to increase substantially over the coming decades resulting in warmer and more acidic oceans, which will greatly stress the health of coral reefs. In addition, ocean margins where most corals live will also see continued increases in human-produced nutrient inputs. While there has recently been a considerable focus on how ocean acidification (due to higher CO2 alone) could negatively impact the growth of reef-building corals due to the projected loss in calcification, the combined impacts of CO2, temperature, and nutrients on coral physiology and calcification are poorly understood. This project will investigate the possible synergistic and antagonistic effects of elevated temperature, CO2, and nutrients on the physiology and internal calcifying chemistry of several species of corals in a laboratory setting. Research tools will include the assessment of coral energy reserves and metabolic demand, symbiotic algal physiology and molecular diversity, coral calcification, and direct measurement of the internal coral pH and carbonate concentration via microprobes. The results from this project have the potential to supply broad scientific impacts regarding how (or if) reef-building corals will survive future climate change scenarios, and will help establish several parameter ranges that could be used to strengthen ocean acidification and coral reef growth models. Likewise, broader impacts toward further education will include the professional development of two postdoctoral scholars, two PhD graduate students, and several undergraduate students. This project will also enhance scientific and technological understanding by several public outreach efforts, including participation and research education in the Young Ocean Explorers program at the Batelle Discovery Center in Ohio, the annual Coast Day public open house at the University of Delaware, as well as advisement in the National Ocean Science Bowl in Georgia.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Andrea G Grottoli (lead Principle Investigator), School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University
INTELLECTUAL MERIT
Continued increases in atmospheric CO2 are causing the oceans to warm and become more acidic. We investigated the effects of ocean acidification and warming that is expected by the end of this century on the health of four species of corals. We found that only one species was negatively affected by ocean conditions expected by the year 2100 (i.e., lower calcification rates, less fats in their tissues, changes in organic carbon losses) (Schoepf et al 2013; Levas et al in press) despite having increased the production of genes that facilitate calcification (Hoadley et al submitted). The lack of any negative effects on the other three species suggests that some species may be able to survive and persist. We hypothesize that adequate nutrition (i.e., zooplankton food) and hosting thermally tolerant endosymbiontic algae was critical to their resilience. Further research is needed to test the effects of longer exposure periods and with more species to confirm these findings.
BROADER IMPACT
This research supported the education and training of three graduate students, at least 10 undergraduate students, and a postdoctoral researcher. To date we have reported our findings in two peer-reviewed journal articles, one more article is in press, and two more are in preparation. Graduate students or postdocs are the lead authors on all of the publications, which greatly enhances their training and educational experience. Eight additional journal articles were published that were in part supported by this project. In addition, findings from this research were presented seven times at scientific conferences, incorporated into undergraduate and graduate courses taught by the principle investigator, and incorporated into at least eight public seminars and 2 public lectures. The Ocean Explorer’s Program at the Batelle Discovery Center – a tropical marine touch tank and education program for pre-school children – was established through this research project. Finally, videos, interviews, and other publications were produced as part of this work (e.g., “Edge of Light” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdfm9mO6j0U). The data has been archived at OA-ICC http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.833874 and at http://www.bco-dmo.org/project/528004. For additional details, please contact Dr. Andrea Grottoli at grottoli.1@osu.edu.
REFERENCES
Schoepf V, Grottoli AG, Warner ME, et al (2013) Coral energy reserves and calcification in a high-CO2 world at two temperatures. PLoS ONE 8(10): e75049 http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0075049.
Levas S, Grottoli AG, Warner ME, et al (accepted) Organic carbon fluxes mediated by corals at elevated pCO2 and temperature. Marine Ecology Progress Series.
Hoadley KD, Warner ME, Grottoli AG, et al (submitted) Acclimation and stress response of four Pacific coral species to elevated temperature and pCO2: compa...
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