Delve Deeper #2: Shaving Private Ryan – a Sea Urchin’s War against Ocean Stressors

Discover the depths of marine science research with Delve Deeper, a thought-provoking 2024 webinar series curated by MASTS. Immerse yourself in the latest marine research, engage with interdisciplinary dialogues, and become an integral part of our growing community. With themes spanning Environmental Impact, Resource Exploration, Technological Advancements, and Coastal Sustainability, each episode promises an exciting dive into the ever-evolving world of marine science.

Shaving Private Ryan: The Battle between the Regeneration and Calcification of a Coastal Sea Urchin and the multi-stressor impacts of ocean acidification and warming.

By Angus Taylor

Anthropogenic CO2 emissions are increasing at an unprecedented rate, highlighting the importance of understanding the effects that climate change stressors such as ocean acidification and ocean warming have on marine ecosystems. Single-stressor effects have often been studied in isolation, yet as these stressors are experienced concurrently by marine organisms, interactive stressor impacts are an increasing priority in current research. Sea urchins (Echinoidea) are biomineralisers that exhibit extensive calcification and tissue regeneration capabilities, making them an ideal model for our study. Using a phenotypic assay to assess long-term regeneration and calcification rates in conjunction with histology to investigate the cellular mechanisms driving the initial stages of regeneration, we aim to provide an overview of regeneration and calcification in the coastal sea urchin Psammechinus miliaris and determine how these processes will be impacted by climate change.

Angus Taylor is a marine biologist primarily interested in the impacts of ocean acidification and warming on marine environments particularly at an organismal and physiological level. Their current research is on the effects of ocean acidification and warming on sea urchins and their ability to calcify and regenerate their tissues in a multi-stressor environment. Find out more about Angus Taylor’s current project on his staff profile.

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