Ocean Acidification: Predicting "Winners and Losers" to Ocean Acidification -- a Physiological Genomic Study of Genetically-determined Variance during Larval Development

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Global emissions of CO2 are acidifying the world's oceans, so the impact of current and future ocean acidification (OA) on marine life is under intense scrutiny. A growing body of biological evidence demonstrates that OA can impact many aspects of marine organism physiology and that OA responses are highly species-specific. Species' responses can range, however, from negative to positive, making predictions of "winners and losers," under various scenarios of future ocean environments, difficult. Physiological responses of individuals within species also vary, yet little attention has been paid to genetically determined variation in physiology that will underpin adaptive responses to increasing OA. This project focuses on the genomic basis of adaptive metabolic capacities and the potential for the evolution of organisms better able than those of present-day to cope with future levels of ocean acidity. Though most marine invertebrates have a larval stage, present understanding of the biology of these larval forms often limits ability to predict future recruitment to the adult stage or potential "winners and losers" under various environment change scenarios. Fuller understanding of how marine invertebrates will respond to change in the world's oceans requires a merging of information on physiological, genetic and environmental factors. This study will uncover genotype-by-environment interactions in larval responses to OA for a commercially important bivalve mollusc, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. This species has genetic and genomic resources that are unparalleled for most marine animals and permit cross-generational experiments. Larvae from many different pedigreed families will be screened for differential responses to OA. Once contrasting responses (phenotypes) are identified, the biochemical, metabolic, and gene-expression bases of the "winners and losers" will be identified. The genetic basis of these physiological responses will then be determined in the following generation, using trait-mapping methods. Such interdisciplinary experimental approaches provide a mechanistic understanding and will improve prediction of biological adaptation to changing ocean conditions.Educational outreach will involve all project associates who will give lectures and laboratory demonstrations to K-12 students, first-generation university students, and students from underrepresented groups on national food security, seafood sustainability, biodiversity and conservation, and ocean change. For the science and policy communities, investigators will disseminate results through publication, conferences, and international collaborations. The genetic markers and gene-expression profiles created by this project will contribute to ongoing international scientific efforts to annotate and assemble the genome sequence of the Pacific oyster. As the Principal Investigators have worked closely with the U.S. West Coast oyster industry for more than a decade, research results will translate directly into improved breeding programs for this $100M industry. Finally, results of these fundamental studies will be directly applicable to other highly fecund marine species, many of which are fish and shellfish of commercial importance that provide a major source of food for human consumption.