PurSUiT: Discovery and characterization of mesophotic seaweeds in Hawaii: genomic adaptations to low light environments

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The mesophotic zone lies deep in oceans where very little light is present. The organisms, such as seaweeds, that can live in these zones are poorly known. One such zone extends approximately 30-150 m deep off the coastlines of the Hawaiian Islands. An initial six-year study of seaweeds in this habit found that 52% of the species were new to science. Characterizing and describing these species is important for developing a greater understanding of the distribution of marine organisms across the tropical Pacific, for tracking invasive species, and for contributing to the larger goal of understanding global biodiversity. This project will collect, identify and describe mesophotic seaweeds from Hawaii, adding to biodiversity data and herbarium collections, and new species discovery. Additionally, this research will allow the first investigation into genome-level adaptations of red, green, and brown seaweeds that live in the low-light environment of the mesophotic zone. Importantly, a key goal of this project includes training the next generation of algal biologists for current-day jobs through exposure to the most up-to-date DNA sequencing techniques, training in herbarium curation, genomics, bioinformatics, and ecological and evolutionary analyses. The goals and results of the research will be broadly communicated through numerous outreach events, scientific conferences, and peer-reviewed publications.The mesophotic algal flora of the Hawaiian Islands will be characterized using genome skimming and morphological analysis to speed the pathway to description of new species. Hawaiian language names for new species of seaweeds will be developed through a partnership with the NOAA Cultural Working Group. Closely related pairs of species from mesophotic and shallow marine habitats, including green, red, and brown algal species, will be analyzed with a comparative genomics approach. Data will be used to test hypotheses of biogeography in the tropical Pacific, evolution of mesophotic algae, and genomic adaptations to life in the mesophotic zone. This research leverages partnerships with scientists, agencies, and others that have been forged over the past decade to sample from remote field sites and mesophotic depths. Deliverables include permanently archived collections of Hawaiian mesophotic specimens, open access to all project data through a web accessible database (hosted at Bishop Museum), establishment of a baseline mesophotic algae dataset to aid identification and screening, systematic revision of select taxa, and an updated species checklist.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.