CMarZ Updates

CMarZ Symposium and Steering Group Meeting, May 11 – 14, 2010
Institute of Oceanology – Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China

agenda
presentations
attendees

 

Marine Barcoding (MarBOL) Symposia for Spring 2009

As part of the MarBOL (DNA Barcoding of Marine Biodiversity) effort, three symposia were held during Spring 2009 to provide overviews on topics of general scientific interest and practical importance. Presentations by researchers from the region and a poster session explored various applications of barcodes, including species identification, phylogeography, environmental sequencing, metagenetics, and microarrays. Free and open to the public ... Read more
Meeting report

 

2009 ICES Annual Science Conference, Berlin, Germany, 21-25 September, 2009

CMarZ had a special session, "Biochemical, biogeochemical, and molecular approaches to the study of plankton ecology and species diversity" (proposed by WGZE/OCC) with conveners Steve Hay (UK), Janna Peters (Germany), and Ann Bucklin (USA).

Rationale: Understanding of marine ecology and biodiversity are increasingly benefiting from novel biochemical, biogeochemical, and molecular approaches and techniques. Plankton species diversity can be accurately assayed using molecular approaches, including DNA barcoding and community metagenomics. Material flow (e.g., nutrient uptake) and trophic relationships in pelagic food webs can be traced using biochemical markers, trace elements composition and stable isotopes. Other biochemical approaches include correlation of dietary components and food quality with vital rates and recruitment success; histochemical and enzyme kinetic assays to gain insight into physiological condition, growth, and impacts of biotoxins and pollutants. Gene expression analysis using quantitative PCR and DNA microarrays can reveal impacts of environmental variability. These and other technical advances are transforming the research areas of plankton population and community ecology, and improving our understanding of species diversity, distribution, abundance and adaptability.

The new knowledge gained is critical for determining marine ecosystem function and health; understanding global biogeochemical cycles; and modelling and predicting impacts of climate change, acidification, and associated stressors. Marine ecosystem analysis must include accurate information on species-level diversity, distribution, and abundance, as well as species-specific processes and transfer rates.

Specifically this session would explore biochemical, biogeochemical, and molecular studies that:

1 ) Characterize plankton species diversity, distribution, and abundance;
2 ) Determine the effects of environmental variability on individuals and populations in terms of physiological condition and vital rates; and
3 ) Explore material transfer and trophic relationships in pelagic food webs, especially in relation to climate change.

This session was in partnership with the Census of Marine Life projects, Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ). This session contributed to ICES mandates for determining the status of marine biodiversity and understanding impacts of climate change in North Atlantic regions.

 

Anthomedusae of the Japan Trench: 18 Sep 08

Dhugal Linday et al's newly online-published manuscript incorporates data from JAMSTEC's sub and ROV fleet including the Deep-Tow Camera, ROV Kaiko, Shinkai 2000, Shinkai 6500, ROV HyperDolphin, our colour Visual Plankton Recorder (VPR), a recent CEAMARC cruise to Antarctica and a Gulf of Maine Cruise. It deals with the anthomedusae inhabiting the waters over the Japan Trench and suggests that the effects of global acidification on pelagic systems will not just stop at the pteropod snails.

Lindsay, D. J., F. Pagès, J. Corbera, H. Miyake, J. C. Hunt, T. Ichikawa, K. Segawa, and H. Yoshida, The anthomedusan fauna of the Japan Trench: preliminary results from in situ surveys with manned and unmanned vehicles. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, v. 88

Abstract:

Modern in situ survey technologies such as crewed submersibles, remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs), towed camera arrays, and visual/video plankton recorders (VPRs) were used to characterize the dominant anthomedusan species off the eastern seaboard of Japan. Notes on the taxonomy, distribution, behaviour and interspecies interactions are presented for the four observed species: Euphysa japonica, E. flammea, Calycopsis nematophora and Pandea rubra. A new generic definition for the genus Calycopsis is proposed. The possibility of run-on, cascading detrimental effects of oceanic acidification on midwater ecosystems was identified from observations made during the present study.

 

Steering Group Meeting, Orlando, Florida. 9-10 March 2008:

presentations

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