Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English en
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
Content archived on 2024-05-29

Larvae In Situ Tracking: detection and identification of early-life-stages of marine organisms using in situ hybridisation with oligonucleotide probes

Objective

Most deep-sea hydrothermal vent species are either sessile or have limited mobility as adults. They thus must disperse predominantly at the larval stage through the water column. The mechanisms governing larval dispersal, however, are largely unknown, making this one of the most intriguing ecological processes left unsolved at vents. Larval forms themselves are unknown, their identification being particularly difficult because few descriptions of early developmental stages were published. Many marine larvae cannot be identified to the species level on morphology only, because many diagnostic features are absent or poorly formed at early stage of development. To this date, studies using molecular methods to identify larvae involve destructive processing of the organisms. The objective of this study is to develop a method for identify flying marine invertebrate larvae using in site hybridisation (ISH). ISH using logion- Cleo tide probes specific to reran would provide a unique method for identifying larvae quickly and specifically, while leaving them morphologically intact. ISH methods will be developed at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology on invertebrates (mainly polecats) already collected from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Identification of vent larvae will reveal their morphology providing new and valuable inform motion for evolutionary biology and systematic. New type of life cycle might be described, which would deeper understanding of the evolution of life cycles. This project will also provide information on dispersal during larval plank tonic stage and allow a better understanding of the mechanisms governing biological communities patterns. Improving our knowledge of larval dispersal patterns is crucial for establishing strategies for the protection of species, establishment of marine reserves, and management of com metrically important shellfish and fish populations.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships

Coordinator

MAX PLANCK SOCIETY, REPRESENTED BY MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE FOR MARINE MICROBIOLOGY
EU contribution
No data
Address
Celsiusstr 1
BREMEN
Germany
Total cost
No data