Project title: 

Turning up the heat or cooling down: Success of survival of marine invertebrate and algal communities under different temperature scenarios

Mentor name: Mark Torchin 

Link to lab page: https://stri.si.edu/scientist/mark-torchin  

Co-mentor(s): Carmen Schloeder, Andrew Sellers 

Location of internship

Naos Marine Labs 

Project abstract

Understanding the environmental and biological mechanisms shaping communities is a central focus of ecological research. We examine how upwelling activity influences algal and sessile invertebrate growth and top-down control by consumers (fish) in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP). The strength and frequency of upwelling activity varies across the TEP, making it an ideal location to test how temporal and spatial variability in oceanographic conditions influence top-down control of algae and invertebrate communities. The Bay of Panama experiences strong seasonal upwelling, while the Gulf of Chiriqui does not, and environmental conditions remain relatively stable throughout the year. We use this upwelling gradient as a framework to test: (1) does algal/invertebrate settlement and cover increase during upwelling season? (2) how does the species composition of algae and invertebrates change in response to seasonal upwelling events? And (3) does higher algal/invertebrate settlement and growth offset consumer effects? 

Skills required/ Habilidades requeridas 

• Knowledge of marine invertebrate taxonomy 

• Patience in spending many hours on a stereoscope.

• Experience in working on boats and in challenging marine environments.

• Experience in setting up and maintaining experiments in the field and in aquaria. 

• Prepared to spend long days in the field and lab.

• Analyses of video and photographic records

• Advanced diver

• Team worker