Physiological answers of Ulva lactuca (Ulvales, Chlorophyta): comparison of two populations from sites with distinct thermal characteristics

• Grant number: 14/22349-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Applied Botany
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Estela Maria Plastino
• Grantee: Nuno de Oliveira Tavares Alves Martins
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

One of the main processes resulting from climate change in the marine environment is global warming. This warming has been confirmed by temperature data recorded of oceans in recent years. It is speculated an increase of 2-4°C in the average temperature of the planet, including the oceans, to 2100. Global warming is expected to produce large changes in the marine environment, such as changes in the distribution and abundance of species and changes in community structure, including local extinctions. Probably the firsts that will be affected are those who live close to their physiological limits (eg. stenothermic). It is therefore important to conduct studies on these, within the range of speculated temperature increase. Ulva lactuca is a green macroalgae cosmopolitan distribution and mainly inhabits the range of the upper middle-coastal, occurring so close to their physiological limits of temperature. Thus, this project aims to determine the pattern of physiological variation expressed by individuals of two populations of Ulva lactuca derived from thermally distinct environments (both tropical regions, being a naturally cooler than the other due to the effect of upwelling of deep water), when exposed a temperature gradient (14-30°C) and an increase of 4°C than the maximum recorded for the natural location. Thus, it is expected to discuss and generate knowledge about acclimation and/or adaptation of this species and its ability to survive and colonize other areas in order to allow prediction of future marine communities, due to climate change. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FIGUEIRA, TIPHANE ANDRADE; MARTINS, NUNO TAVARES; AYRES-OSTROCK, LIGIA; PLASTINO, ESTELA M.; ENRICH-PRAST, ALEX; DE OLIVEIRA, VINICIUS PERUZZI. The effects of phosphate on physiological responses and carbohydrate production in Ulva fasciata (Chlorophyta) from upwelling and nonupwelling sites. Botanica Marina, v. 64, n. 1, p. 1-11, FEB 2021. (14/22349-8)