Project description DEENESFRITPL How mitochondrial efficiency helps organisms adapt to climate change Predicting how organisms will cope with climate change is a priority for biological research. The EU-funded MITOCHADAPT project will therefore test individual- and population-level variation to determine species-level responses to climate change and identify thermal adaptation. The work will measure the evolutionary potential of developmental thermal physiology across natural populations of a widely distributed freshwater fish and test the thermal sensitivity of mitochondrial efficiency (ATP/O), an underlying mechanism that mediates adaptation to a warmer climate. It will also identify how developmental temperature affects ATP/O, determine how selection and heritability of developmental thermal physiology vary across populations, and how ATP/O may mediate temperature-dependent selection. Finally, meta-analysis will summarise patterns between ATP/O and environment across species. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The world is undergoing rapid environmental change, and organisms are growing up in environments very different to those in which they evolved. Predicting how organisms will cope with this unprecedented scale of change is a key priority of biological research. The proposed work will be a significant advance to the field by measuring the evolutionary potential of developmental thermal physiology across natural populations, testing an underlying mechanism mediating adaptation to a warmer climate: namely the thermal sensitivity of mitochondrial efficiency (ATP/O). Outcomes will advance both basic biological knowledge, and applied climate change responses which are of importance to EU citizens, by testing individual- and population- level variation to predict species-level responses to climate change, and identifying a potentially general mechanism for thermal adaptation that can focus conservation efforts. I will use a combination of field work with laboratory measurements and techniques on natural populations of a widely distributed freshwater fish, and meta-analytical techniques, to target the following novel objectives: Objective 1) Test for divergence in mitochondrial efficiency (ATP/O) and developmental thermal physiology across locally adapted populations spanning a wide latitudinal gradient; Objective 2) Identify how developmental temperature affects ATP/O; Objective 3) Determine how selection and heritability of developmental thermal physiology varies across populations, and how ATP/O may mediate temperature-dependent selection; Objective 4) Summarise the generality of patterns between ATP/O and environment across species using meta-analysis. This project will draw from and expand upon the combined research track-records and strengths of my work in early-life history and quantitative genetics, with that of hosts Prof. Metcalfe (subcellular physiology) and Prof. Seebacher (whole-animal physiology) to achieve my future research career goals. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesfreshwater biologymedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2020 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2020 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW Net EU contribution € 277 940,16 Address University avenue G12 8QQ Glasgow United Kingdom See on map Region Scotland West Central Scotland Glasgow City Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY Australia Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Camperdown campus arundel st 71/79 2006 Sydney See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 171 473,28
