Response to temperature and acidity changes in the physiology and enzymology of marine macroalgae (RETAMAR)

This project is has been prompted by the rising acidity and temperatures in ocean waters as a result of climate change. These increases are predicted to impact coastal ecosystems that, in turn, will impact the economies of coastal communities that depend on them. The research here will develop new enzyme-based tools to detect and measure the physiological processes of respiratory CO2 production, respiratory O2 consumption and nitrate reduction in key species of macroalgae important to the Canary Island coastal ecosystem. Once developed these enzyme assays will be employed in the forthcoming German-led KOSMOS-14 mesocosm experiment to assess the impact of high CO2 concentrations and high acidity (low pH) on Canary Island macroalgal communities. This project will analyse the macroalgal samples for the enzyme activities of the respiratory electron transport system (ETS), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), and nitrate reductase (NR).