Award Abstract # 2050273
Collaborative Research: Microscale interactions of foundation species with their fluid environment: biological feedbacks alter ecological interactions of mussels

NSF Org: OCE
Division Of Ocean Sciences
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Initial Amendment Date: January 12, 2021
Latest Amendment Date: May 21, 2021
Award Number: 2050273
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Jayne Gardiner
jgardine@nsf.gov
 (703)292-4828
OCE
 Division Of Ocean Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: February 1, 2021
End Date: January 31, 2026 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $456,411.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $456,411.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2021 = $456,411.00
History of Investigator:
  • Emily Carrington (Principal Investigator)
    ecarring@uw.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Washington
4333 BROOKLYN AVE NE
SEATTLE
WA  US  98195-1016
(206)543-4043
Sponsor Congressional District: 07
Primary Place of Performance: University of Washington
Life Sciences Building
Seattle
WA  US  98195-1800
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
07
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): HD1WMN6945W6
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
Primary Program Source: 01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 1097, 006Z, 9251, 1382
Program Element Code(s): 165000
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

The project investigates how the metabolic activity of dense aggregations of marine organisms alter the water chemistry of their interstitial spaces, and how these microscale alterations feedback to affect the organisms? interactions in coastal ecosystems. The research team focuses on bivalve mussels, foundation species that form dense ?beds? typically known for facilitating other species by ameliorating harsh flow conditions. This ability can become a liability, however, if flow is not sufficient to flush the interstitial spaces and steep, metabolically-driven concentration gradients develop. The research evaluates whether corrosive chemical microclimates (such as low oxygen or low pH) are most extreme in low flow, high temperature conditions, especially for dense aggregations of mussels with large biomass and/or high respiration rates, and if they negatively impact mussel beds and the diverse biological communities they support. The research addresses a global societal concern, the impact of anthropogenic climate change on coastal marine ecosystems, and has potential applications to aquaculture and biofouling industries by informing adaptation strategies to ?future-proof? mussel farms in the face of climate change and improved antifouling practices for ships, moorings, and industrial cooling systems. The project forges new collaborations with investigators from three campuses and integrates research and education through interdisciplinary training of a diverse group of graduate, undergraduate and high school students. STEM education and environmental stewardship is promoted by the development of a K-12 level science curriculum module and a hand?s-on public exhibit of bivalve biology at a local shellfish farm. Research findings are disseminated in a variety of forums, including peer-reviewed scientific publications and research presentations at regional, national and international meetings.

The research team develops a framework that links environmental conditions measured at a coarse scale (100m-100km; e.g., most environmental observatories) and ecological processes at the organismal scale (1 cm ? 10 m). Specifically, the project investigates how aggregations of foundation species impact flow through interstitial spaces, and how this ultimately impacts water chemistry immediately adjacent to the organisms. The research focuses on mytilid mussels, with the expectation that the aggregation alters the flow and chemical transport in two ways, one by creating a physical resistance, which reduces the exchange, and the other by enhancing the exchange due to their incurrent/excurrent pumping. These metabolically-driven feedbacks are expected to be strongest in densely packed, high biomass aggregations and under certain ambient environmental conditions, namely low flow and elevated temperature, and can lead to a range of negative ecological impacts that could not be predicted directly from coarse scale measures of ambient seawater chemistry or temperature. The team develops computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models to predict interstitial flows and concentration gradients of dissolved oxygen and pH within mussel beds. The CFD model incorporates mussel behavior and physiological activity (filtration, gaping, respiration) based on published values as well as new empirical work. Model predictions are compared to flow and concentration gradients measured in mussel aggregations in the laboratory and field. Finally, the team conducts several short-term experiments to quantify some of the potential negative ecological impacts of corrosive interstitial water chemistry on mussel aggregations, such as reduced growth, increased dislodgement, increased predation risk, and reduced biodiversity. Because the model is based on fluid dynamic principles and functional traits, the framework is readily adaptable to other species that form dense assemblages, thereby providing a useful tool for predicting the ability of foundation species to persist and provide desirable ecosystem services under current and future multidimensional climate scenarios.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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(Showing: 1 - 10 of 14)
Newcomb, L. A. and Cannistra, A. F. and Carrington, E. "Divergent Effects of Ocean Warming on Byssal Attachment in Two Congener Mussel Species" Integrative And Comparative Biology , v.62 , 2022 https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icac111 Citation Details
Roberts, EA and Carrington, E "Byssal thread attachment and growth are not correlated across gradients of temperature and food availability for two congeneric mussel species" Marine Ecology Progress Series , v.704 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14234 Citation Details
Roberts, Emily A. and Newcomb, Laura A. and McCartha, Michelle M. and Harrington, Katie J. and LaFramboise, Sam A. and Carrington, Emily and Sebens, Kenneth P. "Resource allocation to a structural biomaterial: Induced production of byssal threads decreases growth of a marine mussel" Functional Ecology , v.35 , 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13788 Citation Details
Sansoucy, Maxime and Tremblay, Réjean and Carrington, Emily and Marcotte, Isabelle and Sleno, Lekha "Investigating Byssogenesis with Proteomic Analysis of Byssus, Foot, and Mantle in Mytilus Mussels by LCMS/MS" PROTEOMICS , v.21 , 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/pmic.202000014 Citation Details
Sarà, G. and Mangano, M. C. and Berlino, M. and Corbari, L. and Lucchese, M. and Milisenda, G. and Terzo, S. and Azaza, M. S. and Babarro, J. M. and Bakiu, R. and Broitman, B. R. and Buschmann, A. H. and Christofoletti, R. and Deidun, A. and Dong, Y. and "The Synergistic Impacts of Anthropogenic Stressors and COVID-19 on Aquaculture: A Current Global Perspective" Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture , v.30 , 2022 https://doi.org/10.1080/23308249.2021.1876633 Citation Details
Roberts, Emily A. and Carrington, Emily "Energetic scope limits growth but not byssal thread production of two mytilid mussels" Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology , v.567 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2023.151927 Citation Details
Buckley, Lauren B. and Carrington, Emily and Dillon, Michael E. and García-Robledo, Carlos and Roberts, Steven B. and Wegrzyn, Jill L. and Urban, Mark C. "Characterizing biological responses to climate variability and extremes to improve biodiversity projections" PLOS Climate , v.2 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000226 Citation Details
Fales, Robin J. and Weigel, Brooke L. and Carrington, Emily and Berry, Helen D. and Dethier, Megan N. "Interactive effects of temperature and nitrogen on the physiology of kelps (Nereocystis luetkeana and Saccharina latissima)" Frontiers in Marine Science , v.10 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1281104 Citation Details
George, Matthew N. and ODonnell, Michael J. and Concodello, Michael and Carrington, Emily "Mussels Repair Shell Damage despite Limitations Imposed by Ocean Acidification" Journal of Marine Science and Engineering , v.10 , 2022 https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030359 Citation Details
Guenther, R and Porcher, EMA and Carrington, E and Martone, PT "Effects of temperature and pH on the growth, calcification, and biomechanics of two species of articulated coralline algae" Marine Ecology Progress Series , v.700 , 2022 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14166 Citation Details
Harris, Lyda S.T. and Gill, Harsimran and Carrington, Emily "Microplastic changes the sinking and resuspension rates of marine mussel biodeposits" Marine Pollution Bulletin , v.165 , 2021 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112165 Citation Details
(Showing: 1 - 10 of 14)

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