Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MedCorP (Mediterranean Coral Performance under Warming and Iron enrichment conditions)
Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2025-01-31
Marine ecosystems face unprecedented challenges due to current climate change, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea. Corals, which serve as key ecosystem engineers, are highly sensitive to environmental changes. Their ability to survive and adapt in warming waters remains uncertain. However, Mediterranean corals may have an inherent advantage due to their natural exposure to extreme environmental variability, including fluctuations in temperature and salinity, and nutrient inputs from terrestrial runoff.
The EU-funded MedCorP project aims to investigate the potential of Mediterranean corals to adapt to climate change by examining how they respond to elevated temperatures and iron enrichment. Iron is a vital coral micronutrient, supporting respiratory and photosynthetic processes. Despite its essential role, the uptake, distribution, and critical thresholds of iron within corals remain poorly understood. This knowledge gap limits our ability to predict how corals will respond to future environmental stressors.
To address this, MedCorP employs a novel combination of high-resolution microsensing technologies and bioimaging to explore coral metabolism at the microscale level.
The project aims to:
• Measure metabolic responses of Mediterranean corals under conditions of elevated temperature and iron availability.
• Quantify the role of inorganic iron in coral cellular metabolism.
• Develop a new model to assess coral metabolic performance.
• Share findings with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, environmental organizations, and the scientific community, to support informed conservation and management strategies.
MedCorP provides unprecedented insights into how iron availability and warming influence coral physiology, integrating state-of-the-art analytical techniques. The results are used to develop predictive models for coral resilience and informing conservation strategies tailored to Mediterranean ecosystems. In the broader context, MedCorP aligns with European and global efforts to protect marine biodiversity and mitigate climate change impacts on vulnerable ecosystems. The project’s open-access dissemination strategy ensures that scientific knowledge reaches a diverse audience, supporting collaboration among researchers, conservation practitioners, and decision-makers.
Ultimately, the MedCorP project contributes to a deeper understanding of coral adaptation mechanisms, providing essential data to anticipate the future of Mediterranean coral populations under climate change scenarios.
The EU-funded MedCorP project aims to investigate the potential of Mediterranean corals to adapt to climate change by examining how they respond to elevated temperatures and iron enrichment. Iron is a vital coral micronutrient, supporting respiratory and photosynthetic processes. Despite its essential role, the uptake, distribution, and critical thresholds of iron within corals remain poorly understood. This knowledge gap limits our ability to predict how corals will respond to future environmental stressors.
To address this, MedCorP employs a novel combination of high-resolution microsensing technologies and bioimaging to explore coral metabolism at the microscale level.
The project aims to:
• Measure metabolic responses of Mediterranean corals under conditions of elevated temperature and iron availability.
• Quantify the role of inorganic iron in coral cellular metabolism.
• Develop a new model to assess coral metabolic performance.
• Share findings with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, environmental organizations, and the scientific community, to support informed conservation and management strategies.
MedCorP provides unprecedented insights into how iron availability and warming influence coral physiology, integrating state-of-the-art analytical techniques. The results are used to develop predictive models for coral resilience and informing conservation strategies tailored to Mediterranean ecosystems. In the broader context, MedCorP aligns with European and global efforts to protect marine biodiversity and mitigate climate change impacts on vulnerable ecosystems. The project’s open-access dissemination strategy ensures that scientific knowledge reaches a diverse audience, supporting collaboration among researchers, conservation practitioners, and decision-makers.
Ultimately, the MedCorP project contributes to a deeper understanding of coral adaptation mechanisms, providing essential data to anticipate the future of Mediterranean coral populations under climate change scenarios.
At the University of Copenhagen, I contributed to the development of a new respirometry setup and I have been trained in laboratory techniques, including microsensing. I conducted experiments on coral photosymbionts (Symbiodinium sp.), investigating the effects of varying iron levels using flow cytometry and 3D label-free bioimaging with optical diffraction tomography. This work enabled detailed analysis of cellular responses to iron exposure. Additionally, I enhanced my skills in applied statistics, academic writing, and bioimaging, which supported the interpretation of experimental data.
During my secondment at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco, I designed and implemented large-scale exposure experiments with Mediterranean corals, focusing on the combined stress of warming and iron enrichment. I analyzed oxygen dynamics in the coral holobiont and gastric cavity and extracted coral tissue and photosymbionts for trace metal analysis. These experiments provided valuable insights into coral responses to environmental stressors. I also coordinated an international team of researchers and technicians, ensuring the successful execution of the project across multiple sites. These activities significantly advanced the understanding of coral resilience mechanisms under environmental changes.
During my secondment at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco, I designed and implemented large-scale exposure experiments with Mediterranean corals, focusing on the combined stress of warming and iron enrichment. I analyzed oxygen dynamics in the coral holobiont and gastric cavity and extracted coral tissue and photosymbionts for trace metal analysis. These experiments provided valuable insights into coral responses to environmental stressors. I also coordinated an international team of researchers and technicians, ensuring the successful execution of the project across multiple sites. These activities significantly advanced the understanding of coral resilience mechanisms under environmental changes.
The results of this Marie Curie project go beyond the current state of the art in coral research, particularly regarding the ecophysiology and microenvironment of Mediterranean corals.
Through the exploration of the combined effects of warming and iron enrichment on coral health, this project provides novel insights into coral resilience mechanisms that have not been fully understood before. The findings offer a valuable foundation for future studies on coral responses to environmental stressors, specifically in the Mediterranean Sea ecoregion.
The project’s outcomes will have a lasting impact on marine biology, environmental conservation, and policy development, informing strategies for coral conservation and ecosystem management. Key contributions include advancing knowledge on the role of micronutrient dynamics, particularly iron, in coral metabolism and symbiosis, which is crucial for refining conservation strategies. To ensure the continued uptake and success of these findings, further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of nutrient dynamics on coral resilience and to test these findings in different marine environments. Collaborative efforts with policymakers, environmental agencies, and international ocean health initiatives will be essential for translating the results into actionable conservation strategies. The integration of cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary collaborations in this project will continue to inspire future scientific research, conservation efforts, and public awareness, helping to address climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.
Through the exploration of the combined effects of warming and iron enrichment on coral health, this project provides novel insights into coral resilience mechanisms that have not been fully understood before. The findings offer a valuable foundation for future studies on coral responses to environmental stressors, specifically in the Mediterranean Sea ecoregion.
The project’s outcomes will have a lasting impact on marine biology, environmental conservation, and policy development, informing strategies for coral conservation and ecosystem management. Key contributions include advancing knowledge on the role of micronutrient dynamics, particularly iron, in coral metabolism and symbiosis, which is crucial for refining conservation strategies. To ensure the continued uptake and success of these findings, further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of nutrient dynamics on coral resilience and to test these findings in different marine environments. Collaborative efforts with policymakers, environmental agencies, and international ocean health initiatives will be essential for translating the results into actionable conservation strategies. The integration of cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary collaborations in this project will continue to inspire future scientific research, conservation efforts, and public awareness, helping to address climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.