Meeting Abstract

78.6  Friday, Jan. 7  The Effects of Climate Change on Physiology: Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) Larval Response to Environmental Change TIMMINS-SCHIFFMAN, E.B.*; DORFMEIER, E.M.; ROBERTS, S.B.; University of Washington; University of Washington; University of Washington emmats@uw.edu

As global climate change continues, its effects are realized at every level within ecosystems. Ecosystem response to climate change can be strikingly obvious (coral bleaching) or subtle (decreased population fitness). It is important to develop tools that indicate the effects that climate change has on specific habitats and organisms. Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) act as a sentinel species for the effects of climate change since they are widespread, sessile filter feeders. Analysis of physiological effects of specific stressors and synergistic stressors can provide species-specific and ecosystem-wide information on the effects of climate change. C. gigas larvae were exposed to a suite of stressors (both single and synergistic) in a controlled setting. The environmental stressors were decreased pH (ocean acidification), increased temperature, and pathogen presence. Larval response to these stressors and the host-pathogen relationship was investigated using gene expression to elucidate the underlying physiological mechanisms that are affected during environmental change. Similar physiological analysis was performed on the pathogen, Vibrio tubiashii, to better describe environmental effects on the host-pathogen relationship. Both ocean acidification and rising temperatures have significant effects on C. gigas larvae and V. tubiashii, altering the dynamics of their relationship and hinting at significant long-term effects under sustained environmental pressure.