Pollutant effect on propagation of foraminiferal resting stages and microbial diet
This is a suggestion for a Degree Project for Bachelor's and Master's levels at the Department of Marine Sciences. Degree projects at the Department of Marine Sciences are done independently and must be written and assessed individually.
Subject: Marine Geology
Level: Bachelor or Master
Supervisors: Irina Polovodova Asteman, Natàlia Corcoll
Project background
Foraminiferal resting stages (propagules) and microbial communities are present in the marine sediments worldwide and their discovery has extended the hypothesis that “everything is everywhere but the environment selects” from microbes to protists. Propagules are known to remain viable at least for two years and rest until environmental conditions become favorable to initiate growth of different species from the sediment propagule bank.
Environmental surveys demonstrated presence of opportunistic foraminiferal species during the highest industrial discharges, but it is unknown how fast different species can develop from the propagules into adults in presence of different environmental contaminants. And how foraminifera microbial died, including bacteria and microalgae, could be impaired which in turn could affect foraminifera growth.
Experimental toxicology studies often target individual foraminiferal species grown in the lab under specific stressor impact, but studies targeting changes at the community level are rare.
Project description
In this project, sediments taken at the Swedish west coast will be sieved (to remove all adult foraminifera and to keep the propagules) and will be exposed to various toxic substances such as metals, biocides and antimicrobials to assess how those affect development time for different species from the propagules into the adults.
Techniques to be used
Changes in community biomass and diversity will analyzed using microscope analysis, HPLC analysis (algal biomass) and fluorescent DNA stain (bacteria biomass).
Depending on the results obtained, environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to infer effects on community composition and diversity on microbes could be applied.
Supervisors
Irina Polovodova Asteman, Dept of Marine Sciences
tel: 0706-289944
Email: irina.polovodova@marine.gu.se
Natàlia Corcoll, BioEnv Dept.
tel.: 031-7864807
E-mail: natalia.corcoll@gu.se