Meeting Abstract

P2.174  Monday, Jan. 5  Taking the heat: organismal and molecular responses of the estuarine sea anemone Nematostella vectensis to thermal stress REITZEL, Adam M*; FINNERTY, John R; TARRANT, Ann M; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Boston University; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution areitzel@whoi.edu

Increasing global temperatures represent a threat to estuarine natives that are limited in their ability to disperse to more suitable habitats. Global warming is increasing the extremes of temperature in estuaries creating even larger ranges that resident taxa must respond to. At the same time, estuaries have become increasingly fragmented by extensive coastal development, some of which interrupts the natural hydrological circulation. Nematostella vectensis, an anemone occupying tidally restricted marsh pools throughout North America, is a representative of high marsh taxa that are likely to be the most heavily effected organisms due to their isolation. We first studied the role of temperature in individual growth with common-garden experiments which showed: 1) temperature has a large effect on growth rates, and 2) individuals from different parts of N. vectensis‘ range show differential responses to high temperatures consistent with local adaptation along a latitudinal gradient. Second, we report on the development and utility of quantitative PCR to quantify expression of heat shock genes in response to temperature stress. Our data suggest that N. vectensis has adapted to local temperatures along its extensive range and that heat shock proteins provide a valuable molecular marker for assessing individual responses to warming temperatures.