Suzanne C. Mills
Suzie Mills is interested in:
• The role of hormones in the modulation of reproductive behaviour, immune function and survival (model organisms include bank voles, lizards, clownfish and sharks).
• Mechanisms for maintaining genetic variation including: trade off between reproduction and immune response, GxE interactions and sexually antagonistic genes (model organisms include bank voles and lizards).
• Distinguishing between pollution effects on the recruitment potential of coral reef organisms and recruitment survival (model organisms include pearl oysters, shrimps and other invertebrates).
• The genetic mating system, sexual selection and recruitment of symbiotic marine crustaceans (model organism: the shrimp Periclimenes soror).
• The role of hormones in the modulation of reproductive behaviour, immune function and survival (model organisms include bank voles, lizards, clownfish and sharks).
• Mechanisms for maintaining genetic variation including: trade off between reproduction and immune response, GxE interactions and sexually antagonistic genes (model organisms include bank voles and lizards).
• Distinguishing between pollution effects on the recruitment potential of coral reef organisms and recruitment survival (model organisms include pearl oysters, shrimps and other invertebrates).
• The genetic mating system, sexual selection and recruitment of symbiotic marine crustaceans (model organism: the shrimp Periclimenes soror).
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reduced oceanic pH (ocean acidification) are products
of increased atmospheric pCO2, and have been shown in
many marine taxa to alter morphology, impede development,
and reduce fitness. Here, we investigated the effects
of high pCO2 and elevated temperature on developmental
rate, hatching success, and veliger morphology of embryos
of the tropical sea hare, Stylocheilus striatus. Exposure to
high pCO2 resulted in significant developmental delays,
postponing hatching by nearly 24 h, whereas exposure to
elevated temperature (in isolation or in combination with high pCO2) resulted in accelerated development, with larvae
reaching several developmental stages approximately
48 h in advance of controls. Hatching success was reduced
by ~20 and 55% under high pCO2 and warming, respectively,
while simultaneous exposure to both conditions
resulted in a nearly additive 70% reduction in hatching. In
addition to these ontological and lethal effects, exposure
of embryos to climate change stressors resulted in significant
morphological effects. Larval shells were nearly 40%
smaller under high pCO2 and warming in isolation and up
to 53% smaller under multi-stressor conditions. In general,
elevated temperature had the largest impact on development,
with temperature-effects nearly 3.5-times the magnitude
of high pCO2-effects. These results indicate that oceanic
conditions congruent with climate change predictions
for the end of the twenty-first century suppress successful
development in S. striatus embryos, potentially reducing
their viability as pelagic larvae.
reduced oceanic pH (ocean acidification) are products
of increased atmospheric pCO2, and have been shown in
many marine taxa to alter morphology, impede development,
and reduce fitness. Here, we investigated the effects
of high pCO2 and elevated temperature on developmental
rate, hatching success, and veliger morphology of embryos
of the tropical sea hare, Stylocheilus striatus. Exposure to
high pCO2 resulted in significant developmental delays,
postponing hatching by nearly 24 h, whereas exposure to
elevated temperature (in isolation or in combination with high pCO2) resulted in accelerated development, with larvae
reaching several developmental stages approximately
48 h in advance of controls. Hatching success was reduced
by ~20 and 55% under high pCO2 and warming, respectively,
while simultaneous exposure to both conditions
resulted in a nearly additive 70% reduction in hatching. In
addition to these ontological and lethal effects, exposure
of embryos to climate change stressors resulted in significant
morphological effects. Larval shells were nearly 40%
smaller under high pCO2 and warming in isolation and up
to 53% smaller under multi-stressor conditions. In general,
elevated temperature had the largest impact on development,
with temperature-effects nearly 3.5-times the magnitude
of high pCO2-effects. These results indicate that oceanic
conditions congruent with climate change predictions
for the end of the twenty-first century suppress successful
development in S. striatus embryos, potentially reducing
their viability as pelagic larvae.