Unraveling the effects of future climate change scenarios on the performance of P.oceanica (L.) Delile.

Student: 
Anaïs Barrera

As human activities are increasing  concentrations in the atmosphere so does the concentration absorbed by the ocean, decreasing surface ocean pH and calcium carbonate saturation state, a process known as ocean acidification (OA). At the same time, seawater surface temperature is predicted to keep increasing with the Mediterranean Sea being disproportionately affected by ocean warming (OW). The impacts of these changes on non-calcifying organisms such as marine macrophytes will react to future conditions is still not fully understood. The aim of this study is to test the performance of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile in future scenarios in spring, its maximum growth season We compared plants from  vents in Ischia (pH conditions comparable to those of projections in 100 years) with plants from ambient pH site and simulated future ocean environmental conditions with decreased pH and three projected temperature scenarios. Overall, our study highlights the capacity of plants to adapt to future ocean conditions with changes in the performance mostly indicating a potential increase in production and at least maintained productivity of the system. Plants locally adapted to future pH conditions seem to perform slightly better so, seagrass could be winners in the future as other studies already suggested.