Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Scott Miller
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Division of Biological Sciences
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Temperature is one of the most important factors that affect the growth and activity of organisms. Temperatures of coastal marine environments, in particular, vary greatly based on latitude and the local environment (i.e., bays, estuaries, water depth). The Chlorophyll d-producing cyanobacterium, Acaryochloris marina, is widely distributed in shallow, intertidal marine environments enriched in far-red light, but our understanding of its temperature preferences is limited. In this study, we investigated how different temperatures affect the growth of nine A. marina laboratory strains that were isolated from locations that experience distinct differences in mean sea surface temperature. We hypothesized that the optimal growth temperatures of strains would reflect the mean sea surface temperatures of their original sampling location. Growth rate and pigment production were measured at different temperature intervals ranging from 17-37 °C. As predicted, strain optimal temperature closely matched the average surface water temperatures of the sampling location. However, some strains tolerated a wider range of temperatures than others, suggesting the possible influence of other factors such as seasonal temperature variation or proximity to estuarine environments. Ultimately, our results resolve the differences in optimal growth temperatures of A. marina strains and provide insights into how A. marina has locally adapted to a wide range of temperatures as it has dispersed across the globe.
Category
Life Sciences
Evolution of thermal performance in a geographically widespread marine cyanobacterium
UC South Ballroom
Temperature is one of the most important factors that affect the growth and activity of organisms. Temperatures of coastal marine environments, in particular, vary greatly based on latitude and the local environment (i.e., bays, estuaries, water depth). The Chlorophyll d-producing cyanobacterium, Acaryochloris marina, is widely distributed in shallow, intertidal marine environments enriched in far-red light, but our understanding of its temperature preferences is limited. In this study, we investigated how different temperatures affect the growth of nine A. marina laboratory strains that were isolated from locations that experience distinct differences in mean sea surface temperature. We hypothesized that the optimal growth temperatures of strains would reflect the mean sea surface temperatures of their original sampling location. Growth rate and pigment production were measured at different temperature intervals ranging from 17-37 °C. As predicted, strain optimal temperature closely matched the average surface water temperatures of the sampling location. However, some strains tolerated a wider range of temperatures than others, suggesting the possible influence of other factors such as seasonal temperature variation or proximity to estuarine environments. Ultimately, our results resolve the differences in optimal growth temperatures of A. marina strains and provide insights into how A. marina has locally adapted to a wide range of temperatures as it has dispersed across the globe.