ABSTRACT

The Southern Ocean is undergoing some of the most dramatic environmental changes on the planet, leading to significant shifts in ecosystem function. Increases in temperature and acidity in this region are projected to continue, leading to even more dramatic changes in the ocean environment by the end of this century. The implications for these shifts on the metabolism and fitness of Antarctic marine organisms are poorly understood. This research will use proteomic and transcriptional approaches to examine the response of larvae of the Antarctic sea urchin, Sterechinus neumayeri, to changes in dissolved CO2, temperature and salinity. This will lead to greater insight into the ecosystem processes that are currently affected by environmental change in the Southern Ocean, as well as a way to predict future shifts. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. In addition, raw data will be made available through open-access databases. This project will support the research and training of a post-doctoral fellow. As well, this research will facilitate the development of high school course materials to be made available online. Outreach through a variety of fishery organizations will also be conducted. Some of these outreach and educational approaches will directly target groups that are traditionally underrepresented in science.

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