"Ecosystem effects of ocean acidification”
| Dates: | 6 October 2014 |
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| Times: | 11:00 - 12:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Faculty of Life Sciences |
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| Who is it for: | Current University students, University staff |
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| Speaker: | Professor Jason Hall-Spencer |
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ABSTRACT: I am investigating areas of the seabed that are already acidified by carbon dioxide, so that we can see which organisms thrive and which are most vulnerable. To do this I am investigating underwater volcanoes where carbon dioxide bubbles up like a Jacuzzi, acidifying large areas of the seabed for 100s of years. The natural gradients of carbon dioxide are like a time machine, showing which organisms can survive and what coastal habitats might look like in the coming years. For the past year my group has been repeating the Ischia experiments at other volcanic vents in Europe, Baja California and Papua New Guinea. What concerns me most is that as the carbon dioxide levels increase to those we expect to see in our life-times this causes a dramatic loss of marine biodiversity, both in temperate and in tropical systems. Key groups, like sea urchins and coralline algae, cannot survive as the water becomes corrosive, and fish avoid the high carbon dioxide areas when they lay their eggs.
Speaker
Professor Jason Hall-Spencer
Organisation: Plymouth University
Biography: Jason Hall-Spencer is Professor of marine biology at Plymouth University teaching undergraduates and supervising PhD projects. He conducts applied research to provide policy makers with the scientific information needed to best manage the marine environment, ranging from deep-sea benthos, fisheries, aquaculture, marine protected areas, biogenic reefs, climate change, ocean acidification and seamounts. He works on a range of UN, OSPAR and ICES marine scientific advisory groups.
Travel and Contact Information
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Smith LT
Michael Smith Building
Manchester
