Chronobiology of changing Arctic Sea Ecosystems (CHASE)
Lead Research Organisation:
Scottish Association For Marine Science
Department Name: Contracts Office
Abstract
Rational: The CHASE programme will address the core objective of the NERC Changing Arctic Ocean Program by seeking to understand and predict how ecologically important species will respond to climate change. As the Arctic Ocean is warming, zooplankton such as copepods and krill are undergoing habitat range extensions polewards. This will result in exposure to new and more extreme day-length (photoperiodic) climates of the higher latitudes - known in many terrestrial species to have negative consequences on fitness. We will therefore aim to investigate the behaviour, physiology and genetic responses of copepods and krill to their natural and new photoperiodic environments. We will focus on the circadian biological clock, central in day-length measurement and in orchestrating key seasonal life-cycle events.
Approach: To understand large scale ecosystem responses to climate change we need to mechanistically understand small scale individual responses of key organisms driving marine ecosystems and their functional biodiversity. High variability between individuals is an indicator for high adaptive capacity of the population to changing conditions. Due to the ecological relevance of key species their individual variability can give an indication of future ecosystem shifts. Our approach focuses on the two Arctic key zooplankton groups Calanus finmarchicus / Calanus glacialis (calanoid copepod) and Thysanoessa inermis (krill). We will: 1) characterize the Arctic light climate (spectrum, irradiance) with latitude and season; 2) determine individual copepod and krill behavioural phenotypes with latitude and season; 3) investigate photoperiod as a diapause trigger in copepods; 4) determine the metabolic status of behavioural phenotypes (identified above); 5) provide seasonal characterization of gene expression with a focus on clock mechanisms and the influence of light and; 6) provide indicator genes characteristic for specific life-cycle events, metabolic processes and environmental conditions as well as genetic timekeeping; 7) investigate the effects of light and genetic clock mechanisms on seasonal timing and how the factors may synergistically interact with other environmental and physiological factors and; 8) incorporate these data into life-cycle models to provide a wider, predictive framework for this work.
We will combine a novel, but tested, approach to large scale behavioural screening of activity in copepods and krill with classical physiological investigations on fitness. Activity screening methodology adopted from Drosophila clock research will reveal diel behavioural cycles and rhythms as well as the change of these cycles/rhythms with different photoperiods. We will also use state-of-the-art genetic analyses to characterise the genetic traits of seasonal physiological changes and how light modulates circadian clock and clock related genes. Finally we will incorporate the behaviour, environment and physiological state into existing well-tested individual-based models and dynamic optimisation models to determine the predicted fitness costs of future Arctic climate change scenarios.
Application and benefits: The balanced functioning of the Arctic ecosystem is reliant on the success of key zooplankton primary consumers which influence all higher trophic levels, from fish to whales. CHASE aims to understand how such key organisms function in this extreme environment and will develop the predictive tools necessary to assess how climate change will impact their populations in the future. This will be achieved through a combined sampling/experimental/modelling programe, thereby informing future scientific directions, critical in helping manage areas which are rapidly becoming more accessible to increasing resource exploitation. The project is embedded within international Arctic science networks based in the UK, Norway and Germany and will have a legacy of cooperation beyond the lifetime of the funding.
Approach: To understand large scale ecosystem responses to climate change we need to mechanistically understand small scale individual responses of key organisms driving marine ecosystems and their functional biodiversity. High variability between individuals is an indicator for high adaptive capacity of the population to changing conditions. Due to the ecological relevance of key species their individual variability can give an indication of future ecosystem shifts. Our approach focuses on the two Arctic key zooplankton groups Calanus finmarchicus / Calanus glacialis (calanoid copepod) and Thysanoessa inermis (krill). We will: 1) characterize the Arctic light climate (spectrum, irradiance) with latitude and season; 2) determine individual copepod and krill behavioural phenotypes with latitude and season; 3) investigate photoperiod as a diapause trigger in copepods; 4) determine the metabolic status of behavioural phenotypes (identified above); 5) provide seasonal characterization of gene expression with a focus on clock mechanisms and the influence of light and; 6) provide indicator genes characteristic for specific life-cycle events, metabolic processes and environmental conditions as well as genetic timekeeping; 7) investigate the effects of light and genetic clock mechanisms on seasonal timing and how the factors may synergistically interact with other environmental and physiological factors and; 8) incorporate these data into life-cycle models to provide a wider, predictive framework for this work.
We will combine a novel, but tested, approach to large scale behavioural screening of activity in copepods and krill with classical physiological investigations on fitness. Activity screening methodology adopted from Drosophila clock research will reveal diel behavioural cycles and rhythms as well as the change of these cycles/rhythms with different photoperiods. We will also use state-of-the-art genetic analyses to characterise the genetic traits of seasonal physiological changes and how light modulates circadian clock and clock related genes. Finally we will incorporate the behaviour, environment and physiological state into existing well-tested individual-based models and dynamic optimisation models to determine the predicted fitness costs of future Arctic climate change scenarios.
Application and benefits: The balanced functioning of the Arctic ecosystem is reliant on the success of key zooplankton primary consumers which influence all higher trophic levels, from fish to whales. CHASE aims to understand how such key organisms function in this extreme environment and will develop the predictive tools necessary to assess how climate change will impact their populations in the future. This will be achieved through a combined sampling/experimental/modelling programe, thereby informing future scientific directions, critical in helping manage areas which are rapidly becoming more accessible to increasing resource exploitation. The project is embedded within international Arctic science networks based in the UK, Norway and Germany and will have a legacy of cooperation beyond the lifetime of the funding.
Planned Impact
Scientific community - CHASE aims to provide the scientific community with a new perspective of zooplankton population ecology which is of particular value to the Polar ecosystem modelling community already embedded in the NERCs changing Arctic Ocean programme. Our findings will be disseminated via high impact publications and presentations at major international meetings, principally Arctic Frontiers and Arctic Change Conferences. In addition there is increasing interest in clocks in non-model systems, particularly those under environmental extremes, to improve our understanding of the evolution of the circadian clock. We will therefore focus CHASE dissemination at various chronobiological meetings such as the UK Clock Club, Society of Biological Rhythms and the Chronobiology Gordon Research Conference.
Policy community - CHASE addresses many international Arctic research priorities as outlined in the EU PolarNEt and the 2015 ICARP III reports. These call for better understanding of Arctic ecosystems and specifically their responses and resilience to anthropogenic impacts whilst encouraging cross-cutting science and international collaboration. Our focal species are of high ecological importance to the North Atlantic and Arctic ecosystems and therefore of broad interest to Arctic fisheries biologists specifically our Nordic partners such as the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research. Further, the German Ministry of Education and Research for marine and Polar research MARE:N has identified "variability, acclimation and adaptability of key organisms to environmental change" as a target research area which should be supported by robust predictive models. Closer to home we will make available our findings to the UK Arctic Office thereby informing UK Arctic science towards future policy development, important at this time with the rapid expansion of Arctic open water for increased commercial exploitation. CHASE partners will be presenting our science during the Arctic Frontiers Tromso meetings which includes focused sessions addressing the opportunities and challenges to achieve viable economic growth with societal and environmental sustainability in the Arctic. We are also conscientious of our duty to IPCC on relevant issues.
General public - People are naturally fascinated by Polar Regions and it is therefore relatively easy to engage the public in Arctic science, particularly with images of polar bears. The challenge is to entertain and educate about more enigmatic subject matters such as zooplankton. However, our groups have been extremely successful in promoting our science, reaching a very wide audience via effective communications teams and understanding the needs of the media. A recent video abstract and press release centered on zooplankton behaviour dubbed "Arctic Werewolves" (for more information just google it) resulted in the top 1% of publicly cited papers for the high impact journal Current Biology. The increasing use of institutional websites linked to social media, especially twitter, has expanded our scientific 'reach', demonstrated by the 6.5K and 22K followers of the SAMS and BAS twitter feeds respectively. We will display our science in the SAMS Ocean Explorer Centre and provide educational material to local schools and nurseries in Argyll. We will also provide outreach material for the Glasgow Science Centre under the 'EnviroScience' theme to illustrate the effects of Arctic warming on ecosystems and link to a website at the University of Delaware focusing on using zooplankton for inquiry-based teaching and learning of biological concepts.
Finally CHASE is committed to training future Arctic scientists and our PDRAs will be encouraged to become part of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) to facilitate appropriate career development and networking and will be encouraged to take part in any SAMS/UHI transferrable skill development and science communication training programme.
Policy community - CHASE addresses many international Arctic research priorities as outlined in the EU PolarNEt and the 2015 ICARP III reports. These call for better understanding of Arctic ecosystems and specifically their responses and resilience to anthropogenic impacts whilst encouraging cross-cutting science and international collaboration. Our focal species are of high ecological importance to the North Atlantic and Arctic ecosystems and therefore of broad interest to Arctic fisheries biologists specifically our Nordic partners such as the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research. Further, the German Ministry of Education and Research for marine and Polar research MARE:N has identified "variability, acclimation and adaptability of key organisms to environmental change" as a target research area which should be supported by robust predictive models. Closer to home we will make available our findings to the UK Arctic Office thereby informing UK Arctic science towards future policy development, important at this time with the rapid expansion of Arctic open water for increased commercial exploitation. CHASE partners will be presenting our science during the Arctic Frontiers Tromso meetings which includes focused sessions addressing the opportunities and challenges to achieve viable economic growth with societal and environmental sustainability in the Arctic. We are also conscientious of our duty to IPCC on relevant issues.
General public - People are naturally fascinated by Polar Regions and it is therefore relatively easy to engage the public in Arctic science, particularly with images of polar bears. The challenge is to entertain and educate about more enigmatic subject matters such as zooplankton. However, our groups have been extremely successful in promoting our science, reaching a very wide audience via effective communications teams and understanding the needs of the media. A recent video abstract and press release centered on zooplankton behaviour dubbed "Arctic Werewolves" (for more information just google it) resulted in the top 1% of publicly cited papers for the high impact journal Current Biology. The increasing use of institutional websites linked to social media, especially twitter, has expanded our scientific 'reach', demonstrated by the 6.5K and 22K followers of the SAMS and BAS twitter feeds respectively. We will display our science in the SAMS Ocean Explorer Centre and provide educational material to local schools and nurseries in Argyll. We will also provide outreach material for the Glasgow Science Centre under the 'EnviroScience' theme to illustrate the effects of Arctic warming on ecosystems and link to a website at the University of Delaware focusing on using zooplankton for inquiry-based teaching and learning of biological concepts.
Finally CHASE is committed to training future Arctic scientists and our PDRAs will be encouraged to become part of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) to facilitate appropriate career development and networking and will be encouraged to take part in any SAMS/UHI transferrable skill development and science communication training programme.
Organisations
- Scottish Association For Marine Science (Lead Research Organisation)
- Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg (Project Partner)
- TU Dresden (Project Partner)
- University of Delaware (Project Partner)
- University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway (Project Partner)
- University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) (Project Partner)
- Aberystwyth University (Project Partner)
Publications
Coguiec E
(2021)
Seasonal Variability in the Zooplankton Community Structure in a Sub-Arctic Fjord as Revealed by Morphological and Molecular Approaches
in Frontiers in Marine Science
Cohen J
(2021)
Photophysiological cycles in Arctic krill are entrained by weak midday twilight during the Polar Night
in PLOS Biology
Cohen JH
(2019)
Loss of buoyancy control in the copepod Calanus finmarchicus.
in Journal of plankton research
Grigor J
(2022)
Swimming Activity as an Indicator of Seasonal Diapause in the Copepod Calanus finmarchicus
in Frontiers in Marine Science
Hobbs L
(2021)
A marine zooplankton community vertically structured by light across diel to interannual timescales.
in Biology letters
Häfker NS
(2022)
Animal behavior is central in shaping the realized diel light niche.
in Communications biology
Hüppe L
(2020)
Evidence for oscillating circadian clock genes in the copepod Calanus finmarchicus during the summer solstice in the high Arctic.
in Biology letters
Koch CW
(2023)
Year-round utilization of sea ice-associated carbon in Arctic ecosystems.
in Nature communications
Payton L
(2022)
Annual transcriptome of a key zooplankton species, the copepod Calanus finmarchicus.
in Ecology and evolution
Payton L
(2021)
Widely rhythmic transcriptome in Calanus finmarchicus during the high Arctic summer solstice period
in iScience
Payton L
(2020)
Daily transcriptomes of the copepod Calanus finmarchicus during the summer solstice at high Arctic latitudes.
in Scientific data
Payton L
(2024)
Revealing the profound influence of diapause on gene expression: Insights from the annual transcriptome of the copepod Calanus finmarchicus.
in Molecular ecology
Rock A
(2022)
Towards an Understanding of Circatidal Clocks.
in Frontiers in physiology
Tarling G
(2022)
Carbon and Lipid Contents of the Copepod Calanus finmarchicus Entering Diapause in the Fram Strait and Their Contribution to the Boreal and Arctic Lipid Pump
in Frontiers in Marine Science
Title | Arctic playing cards |
Description | 'Trump' style playing cards for children and adults showcasing Arctic fauna |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Impact | Used for creative competition in schools. |
Title | Dawn of the Copepod CHASERS |
Description | 3.5 min film describing the main aim of the NERC CHASE project. Copepods are the most abundant and fastest multi-cellular species on the planet, but they face an uncertain future, especially in the Arctic, because of climate change. Jump aboard with SAMS scientists from the NERC funded CHASE project as they go in search of these tiny superheroes of the oceans. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Impact | ~1000 views on Youtube |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zZ0hxUMrko |
Title | Spectral Chasings_Plankton Style |
Description | Audio Visual Theatrical performance in Copenhagen in a water tower as an exhibition space. Performance abstract: Crackling echoes of micro sea insects infiltrate the water tower in Spectral Chasings_Plankton Style. You are invited to quieten down and step into the darkness, to become encircled by zooplankton, specifically copepods .perhaps better known as water fleas. These tiny beings are practically invisible to the naked eye when singled out, yet they live almost everywhere in the oceans in numbers too vast to count - inhabiting the seas in monstrous swarms that can be seen from satellites. They are odd and mysterious creatures. Fierce and strong microscopic individuals who migrate vertically in the oceanic currents. This abstract and intimate sound/light performance pays tribute to their bubbly, ghost-like existence; chasing our eerie cross-species human~flea connections with electro-acoustic reveries and flickering beams. The Spectral Chasings universe is inspired by breakthrough research into plankton's perception of light, actual underwater recordings of copepods and eco-queer speculations. Duration: approx. 40 min. Age recommendation: 16+ Art Direction: Maria Brænder Performers: Brænder & Claus Otto Sound: John Lemke Light: Sofia Ivarsson Costume: Charlotte Bodil Hermansen Supported by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Scottish Association of Marine Science and Brønshøj Vandtårn. Special thanks to: Dr. Kim Last, Saskia Kühn, Paasja Luna, Dr. Laura Bissell & Prof. Alistair MacDonald Photo: Calanus-finmarchicus (Copepod) - Bjørn Henrik Hansen, Senior Researcher at SINTEF Ocean. About Brænder: www.mbraender.com |
Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | This was a theatrical production in Copenhagen with physical visitors (~200). A film was also produced and will be uploaded onto social media (date tbc). |
Title | Supplementary Material 2: Figure S1 from Evidence for oscillating circadian clock genes in the copepod Calanus finmarchicus during summer solstice in the high Arctic |
Description | Vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, oxygen saturation and Chlorophyll a concentration at Station JR85 (blue) and B13 (red) for the top 200 m. Water depth at JR85 is 3700 m and at B13 360 m. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2020 |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/Supplementary_Material_2_Figure_S1_from_Evidence_for_oscillating_ci... |
Title | Supplementary Material 2: Figure S1 from Evidence for oscillating circadian clock genes in the copepod Calanus finmarchicus during summer solstice in the high Arctic |
Description | Vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, oxygen saturation and Chlorophyll a concentration at Station JR85 (blue) and B13 (red) for the top 200 m. Water depth at JR85 is 3700 m and at B13 360 m. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2020 |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/Supplementary_Material_2_Figure_S1_from_Evidence_for_oscillating_ci... |
Description | Five research priorities have been achieved: 1) A mechanism is demonstrated that could explain large-scale aggregations of lipid-rich copepods in the surface waters of marine environments. We reveal that changes in salinity and temperature induce lipid controlled buoyancy instability that entrains copepods in surface waters. Reduced hydrostatic pressure associated with forced ascent of copepods at fjordic sills, shelf breaks and seamounts would also reduce the density of the lipid reserves, forcing copepods and particularly those in diapause to the surface. 2) We investigated in situ daily circadian clock gene expression in the copepod Calanus finmarchicus at high latitudes during the Midnight Sun, close to the summer solstice. We showed significant cycling of clock genes indicating a functional biological clock. The work reveal that even at extreme high latitudes where the sun's altitude above the horizon varies little, it is still sufficient to entrain the circadian clock in C. finmarchicus. We also suggest that entrainment of the transcriptome at very high latitudes includes tidal (~12h) periods. 3) We reveal that krill vision during the polar night is under endogenous circadian control with higher sensitivity, but lower speed, during the subjective night. 4) In C. finmarchicus behavioural swimming response to photoperiod are reduced with increasing latitudes but overall activity levels are maintained. 5) In C. finmarchicus behavioural swimming is reduced during diapause in the mesopelagic but not in animals in the epipelagic. Swimming behaviour is found to be a robust indicator of diapause. |
Exploitation Route | Circadian clock function in non-model organisms is still very limited. By understanding the circadian clock is the most abundant marine organisms under extreme light environments will give us better insights into it's molecular machinery and evolutionary history. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Education Environment Other |
Description | CHASE science has been disseminated at various non-scientific events. These include online presence (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zZ0hxUMrko) and via various social media outlets: https://twitter.com/ARCTICCHASE_ (122 followers), https://twitter.com/scotland2arctic (1298 followers), https://www.instagram.com/jordangrig (449 followers). CHASE also contributed to the post-production activities relating to the Arctic science film "Into the Dark" https://vimeo.com/365831168, led by the Polar Night project UiT which won the Audience Choice Award for the Oct review of the Around Film Festival. CHASE was also presented as at TED style talk at the Glasgow Science Centre as part of the GSC 'Science Lates' shows. CHASE also presented to Achalevan Primary school with talk and interactive game. Finally CHASE has contributed to the recent (11th March 23) theatrical production of www.mbraender.com entitled 'Spectral Chasings_Plankton Style' performed in a disused water tower in Copenhagen. |
Sector | Education,Environment,Other |
Impact Types | Societal |
Title | Acoustic and fluorescence data from: A marine zooplankton community vertically structured by light across diel to interannual timescales |
Description | The predation risk of many aquatic taxa is dominated by visually searching predators, commonly a function of ambient light. Several studies propose that changes in visual predation will become a major climate-change impact on polar marine ecosystems. The high Arctic experiences extreme seasonality in the light environment, from 24-h light to 24-h darkness, and therefore provides a natural laboratory for studying light and predation risk over diel to seasonal timescales. Here, we show that zooplankton (observed using acoustics) in an Arctic fjord position themselves vertically in relation to light. A single isolume (depth-varying line of constant light intensity, the value of which is set at the lower limit of photobehaviour reponses of Calanus spp. and krill.) forms a ceiling on zooplankton distribution. The vertical distribution is structured by light across timescales, from the deepening of zooplankton populations at midday as the sun rises in spring, to the depth to which zooplankton ascend to feed during diel vertical migration. These results suggest that zooplankton might already follow a foraging strategy that will keep visual predation risk roughly constant under changing light conditions, such as those caused by the reduction of sea ice, but likely with energetic costs such as lost feeding opportunities due to altered habitat use. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.zw3r22878 |
Title | CTD time-series data collection from Loch Etive, Scotland from September 2018 to October 2020. |
Description | CTD time-series data collection from Loch Etive, Scotland (56.45 degrees N, 5.18 degrees W) monthly from September 2018 to October 2020. The data were collected in support of a monthly transcriptome analysis of the copepod Calanus finmarchicus for the CHASE project which is part of the wider Changing Arctic Ocean programme. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Publication: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8605 |
URL | https://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/published_data_library/catalogue/10.5285/c7b3dfbf-4a88-6e29-e053-6c86abc... |
Title | Morphometric, swimming activity and raw oxygen air saturation data from experiments on CV Calanus finmarchicus in the Fram Strait, Arctic Ocean, in August 2019 |
Description | Morphometric data were collected for 417 Calanus finmarchicus copepods (stage CV), swimming activity data were collected using locomotor activity monitors for 469 Calanus finmarchicus copepods (stage CV) and oxygen consumption activity data were collected using a Loligo microplate respirometry system for 40 Calanus finmarchicus copepods (stage CV). All data were collected in the Fram Strait, Arctic Ocean, from two stations (F7 and D6) in August 2019, coinciding with the timing of early diapause in this species. Photographs were taken and experiments were conducted onboard RRS James Clark Ross. The data are reported in detail in Grigor et al., Torpidity as an indicator of overwintering diapause in Calanus finmarchicus. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Associated with a paper in press. |
URL | https://data.bas.ac.uk/metadata.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/01601 |
Title | Supplementary Material 5. qPCR Data from Evidence for oscillating circadian clock genes in the copepod Calanus finmarchicus during summer solstice in the high Arctic |
Description | Relative gene expression (2-?Ct) time series in CV-stage Calanus finmarchicus copepods at two stations along a latitudinal gradient in the high Arctic (JR85: 82.5°N; B13: 74.5°N) during midnight sun conditions. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/Supplementary_Material_5_qPCR_Data_from_Evidence_for_oscillating_ci... |
Title | Supplementary Material 5. qPCR Data from Evidence for oscillating circadian clock genes in the copepod Calanus finmarchicus during summer solstice in the high Arctic |
Description | Relative gene expression (2-?Ct) time series in CV-stage Calanus finmarchicus copepods at two stations along a latitudinal gradient in the high Arctic (JR85: 82.5°N; B13: 74.5°N) during midnight sun conditions. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/Supplementary_Material_5_qPCR_Data_from_Evidence_for_oscillating_ci... |
Description | Invited visit to St Petersburg State University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Provided a lecture to Russian undergraduates about industrial research (students from St Petersburg and Moscow), also plenary lecture to all academic staff (soon to be posted on youtube youtube) https://bioseminars.wordpress.com/ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |