Date: 16 February 2022
Time: 3:30 pm in Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Location: online
Presenter: Emily Rivest, Assistant Professor, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Description: Rosenberg Institute Seminar Series at the Estuary & Ocean Science Center
Predicting exposure and vulnerability of estuarine ecosystems to coastal acidification requires a good understanding of global ocean acidification as well as the complex, existing spatial and temporal gradients in carbonate chemistry. To anticipate effects of coastal acidification on coastal species, like the Eastern oyster, it is crucial to characterize existing variability in carbonate chemistry and interpret this variability in the context of a population’s tolerance thresholds. First, I will discuss emerging results from investigations of acidification tolerance thresholds in Eastern oysters. Then, I will present a case study for leveraging water quality time series to explore excursions of water chemistry below physiological tolerance thresholds. Then, I will summarize of our efforts to characterize regional drivers of exposure and vulnerability, including submerged aquatic vegetation and stakeholder resilience. This work provides important insight on when and where impacts of coastal acidification on Eastern oysters may first emerge in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Bio: Dr. Emily Rivest is an Assistant Professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. Her research focuses on understanding physiological mechanisms of tolerance of environmental change, both natural and anthropogenic, in ecologically and economically important species, like oysters, hard clams, and American lobster. She is an expert in ocean acidification research, conducting laboratory experiments that simulate future water conditions and using oceanographic instruments to characterize dynamic coastal environments. Emily is passionate about doing science that addresses stakeholder needs, often collaborating directly with members of the aquaculture industry. She is also an avid science communicator.
San Francisco State University, Estuary & Ocean Science Center, 11 February 2022. More information.
