RECCAM - Seagrass Meadows resilience to global warming: an analysis based on responses at ecophysiological, population and ecosystem levels
Summary
Climatic change is supposed to cause significant alterations in the global environment, with clear and specific effects in the oceans. The Mediterranean Sea is an excellent model for the study of such effects on marine ecosystems. Seagrass meadows, and specifically those dominated by Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa, are amongst the most threatened and relevant Mediterranean habitats. This project is aimed at contributing to the understanding of the main response mechanisms of these key habitats to global warming, probably the main component of climate change.To this end, we have focused the problem through three major approaches, relatively unexplored so far but crucial to achieve a proper knowledge of the impacts of temperature rising. First, we will study the physiological tolerance of Mediterranean seagrass species to thermal stress. Second, we will evaluate the influence of warming on herbivorism. Third, we will analyse the interactions between climatic change and other stressors, in particular eutrophication and mechanical disturbances.
SZN role
Participant Institution for the genetic characterization of seagrass species in mesocosms experiment and for assessment of gene expression in controlled conditions.
Partners
University of Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Oceanographic Institute (IEO), Spain; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Italy; CSIC-CEAB, Spain
Project lifetime
2014-2016
P. I.
Gabriele Procaccini
Project coordinator: Javier Romero Martinengo (University of Barcelona, Spain)
Funding Institution
Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) - Spain
Contribution to SZN
€ 16.000
