StreAM cukes – Mechanisms of stress adaptation in sea cucumbers from different latitudes
Abstract/ Aim
Echinoderms are useful model species to assess the effect of global and local stressors. This project aims to assess thermal stress in two sea cucumber species. Stress conditions will be detected with a multiple biomarker approach and classical endpoints to gather a comprehensive picture of how temperature and oxygen stress is affecting Holothurians at different levels of biological organization, in order to define species specific thermal and oxygen thresholds. Comparative studies with congeneric species living in different climatic zones, will allow to infer on the evolutionary basis of climate sensitivity, acclimation, and adaptation processes and potential aquaculture improvement.
Keywords
Climate change; Biomarkers; Sea cucumber; Aquaculture
Partners
Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology – ZMT (Germany)
Coordinator
MARE-Polytechnic of Leiria: Marco Lemos – marco.lemos@ipleiria.pt
Funding
4.000,00€ (MARE-Polytechnic of Leiria)| FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia // Duration 2016-2017